The Strangest Places
by Blipthedwarf
Summary: This was one of those terrible ideas that came to me one day. Sometimes we find exactly what we need in the strangest of places.


_Disclaimer: Do not own Riddick or any familiar people/places. Unfamiliar persons and places are of my own creation. Written for fun, not profit._

 _Warning: Contains sexual situations, strong language, violence and all the other good things Riddick can offer._

 _Riddick Alternate Universe Fan Fiction_

 **The Strangest Places**

 **Chapter One: Meat Market**

The ruddy glow of the parlor cast menacing looking shadows in the corners of the room, making it look much less inviting than one thought it ought to be. It is possible that the lighting of the parlor was meant to create a form of ambiance, however it seemed to fail entirely. The large chamber smelled of booze, cigarette smoke, sweat and sex so deeply that it would be a certainty that the furniture and carpeting had been thoroughly suffused with a series of rank odors. Garish loungers that appeared to be a throwback to a time long gone littered the interior of the parlor, each occupied by one of the many male companions currently wooing their female clients. Richard B. Riddick, the most famous mass murderer in the known Universe, stood against the far wall of the darkened, fetid room casually observing his fellow convicts and the women who had come to enjoy a few hours of ecstasy in the arms of a dangerous criminal. It was a clever business scheme concocted by the intrepid owner of the establishment, Madame Yasmine. An entire brothel composed of criminals collected from slams from one end of the Universe to the other. Their debt to society paid in a hefty sum of credits that they would spend years working off under her watchful gaze. Once the convicts had earned back their purchase price as well as all medical fees and room and board, they were free men allowed to go their merry ways.

It had been four months since Riddick had been bought and paid for by the no nonsense Madame who had hoped his presence would be enough to attract a wealthier clientele. Riddick had been well worth the exorbitant sum she had paid for him, giving him a working sentence of at least eight years. He had considered, at first, that the option Yasmine had presented to him was much better than spending the rest of his natural life (or at least until he escaped) in some shit hole of a slam. Riddick soon realized that it wasn't necessarily the case. It took only a short amount of time for him to grow tired of the rough, clasping hands of the women who frequented the establishment, most of whom were individuals he wasn't attracted to in the first place. Many of them had been very beautiful despite, in many cases, their advanced ages; however very few of them were even remotely close to the type of women Riddick would have desired in the first place. Riddick had, of course, been eager enough at first; grateful for a chance to sate his baser urges with some rich man's wife who wanted to live out her fantasy of animalistic sex with a convicted criminal. The novelty had worn of quickly enough with Riddick's nearly overbooked schedule that left him irritated and ornery. A few problematic situations had arisen since his arrival causing the requests for his services to dwindle to nearly nothing. The last instance involved a woman who had attempted to tie Riddick's hand to the headboard with her scarf. The thin, gauzy material was no match for his strength and the woman's mistake cost her the rest of the time she was allotted and cost Yasmine the price the woman had paid for Riddick's services.

Madame Yasmine had grown slightly disgusted with Riddick's new troublesome attitude as well as the fact that he'd turned down all of her advances with something akin to repugnance. She'd had her eye on him since his arrival although now her lustful desire had turned into little more than complete annoyance. It was no secret amongst the other companions that Yasmine's delights could garner special privileges. That mattered little to Riddick who much preferred to continue his subtle harassment of the woman in charge. Riddick pressed himself further into the shadows as three new clients walked the line of man flesh on display for them to pick and choose from. Two giggling blondes seemed intent on the short but muscular dark haired convict before them who bore a smirk as he realized he'd be having fun with two women instead of one. Riddick couldn't recall the man's name, and honestly he didn't really care, but he was aware that the man had been convicted of more cases of armed robbery than probably any human being in history. It was a feat he was immensely proud of. Behind the two blondes was a tall, slender woman who looked to be in her early to mid forties sporting a long mane of what might have been auburn hair but it was difficult to tell in a room illuminated with red lights. Riddick stiffened slightly as the indecisive woman inched closer and closer to him, ultimately stopping before a tall, well built convict with dirty blonde hair and a deceptively charming face. Another nameless individual in Riddick's eyes, the young man had been convicted of multiple counts of fraud, tax evasion and one count of stalking.

Breathing a sigh of relief at having dodged the proverbial bullet, Riddick allowed his darkened corner to swallow him again until the next shuttle arrived which was typically every thirty minutes. He watched the large clock on the wall eagerly as the minutes ticked by. A bell rang, indicating the arrival of another shuttle to the elevated brothel that hovered hundreds of stories above ground. It's elevated position prevented the convicts within from attempting any kind of escape. As added security, each convict was implanted with a small device along their spinal column that would send a jolt of electricity through them that would result in permanent paralysis or death should they cross the threshold and attempt escape via one of the shuttles. Riddick watched from his spot as two more women entered the parlor, eagerly perusing the human wares. One woman had short black hair that probably looked almost blue in the light of day and sported an obscenely thin frame that gave her a look of someone who had a little too much plastic surgery or had an eating disorder. Riddick's silver gaze moved away from the black haired woman who was currently ogling the chubby, older convict nearest the entry door.

Drawn by a subtle movement behind her, Riddick watched carefully as a shockingly young brunette walked alongside Yasmine, examining each of the men in turn. The girl, or woman, could not have been any older than her mid twenties; something that was far different from the much older women who usually frequented the establishment. It wasn't her age that had captured Riddick's attention but the quiet, timid characteristics she was exhibiting. The nervous twisting of one hand in the hem of her shirt, the wide, darting eyes, even the awkward shifting of her feet. Yasmine walked along beside her, presumably attempting to influence her decision. The young woman paused before the handsome, boyish looking convict directly to Riddick's right who sported a crown of curly blonde hair. She seemed to study the blonde carefully for a moment, something that made Riddick growl low in his chest. The young woman's eyes suddenly turned toward Riddick who had finally moved out of his darkened corner. She stepped forward, her amber colored eyes raking over Riddick's muscular and toned physique. Finally her gaze came to rest on his mercury spheres, nearly falling into their shimmering depths. Riddick's expression remained passive although he'd caught a small sample of her intriguing scent that made him rumble quietly. It was a shockingly delectable mixture of sun ripened melon, a subtle flowery scent and innocence. The young woman bit her bottom lip distractedly before finally saying: "I choose him." The words were soft and sounded slightly unsure although her eyes told a different story. Behind her, Yasmine rolled her eyes at her ill luck. Had the woman believed in God, she might've started praying. Plastering a feigned smile on her overly made up face, Yasmine led the young woman to her office to work out the details and accept payment for Riddick's services.

The large, delicately decorated office was a shocking change from the rest of the establishment. It was brightly lit with domed ceiling lights that were far more subtle in their appearance than one might expect judging from the gaudy décor of the parlor. The room was lined with bookshelves that sported a dark cherry finish that seemed to blend deceptively well with the coffee colored walls. A large wooden desk sat in the middle of the room matching perfectly with the shelves while behind it was an expensive looking leather chair. Yasmine directed the young woman to one of the wood trimmed seats on the opposite side of her desk as she took her place in the leather chair. The seat creaked slightly as Yasmine sat and instantly produced a series of papers seemingly out of thin air. "So, our famous Richard Riddick caught your eye. A very good choice indeed." Yasmine spouted pleasantly, discussing the young woman's choice of companion as if he were a bottle of fine wine and not a human being. Secretly, Yasmine was seething inside and anxiously hoped that Riddick wouldn't fuck this one up. She had half a mind to send him directly to the nearest slam if he offended the young woman. "There are a few things to discuss before you can enjoy his pleasures. All the companions in this establishment have been temporarily sterilized and are routinely tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Riddick's fees are slightly higher than average due, simply, to his famous reputation. 10,000 credits for an hour, 20,000 credits for three hours and….well…. His five hour rate is rather expensive. I can't recall anyone paying that much, even for him." Yasmine explained as the young woman nervously leafed through the overly intricate paperwork she'd have to sign. Her amber eyes glanced up, slightly shielded by her long bangs. "How much for the whole night?" The young woman inquired as Yasmine's jaw dropped, her fingers uneasily fidgeting with the file before her. The Madame attempted a subtle smile which barely lasted a few seconds as she drew out a small calculator to run a few numbers and offer the young woman a quote she was sure the girl wouldn't accept. It was hard for Yasmine to fathom someone her age having so much money. The buttons made an irritating tapping sound in the silent room until finally coming to a halt much to the young client's appreciation. "For the WHOLE night….100,000 credits."

A satisfied smile would have fitted Yasmine's mood in that brief moment if it weren't for the lack of shock on the young woman's face. Her amber eyes fell slightly during a long period of silence as if she were thinking over the options in her head. "Fine. 100,000 credits is acceptable." The young woman answered watching as a mixture of excitement and astonishment descended on Yasmine's thickly painted features. The greedy Madame couldn't believe her good luck. This fee alone was a quarter of what she'd paid for Riddick in the first place, although that wasn't counting medical fees or room and board. She could only hope that the young woman wasn't bluffing or hadn't planned on scamming her in some way. Yasmine decided to save the celebration for later and ensure that the client was aware of the payment schedule. "All fees must be paid up front, before services are rendered, Miss….?" Yasmine stated in a slightly taunting voice, searching for the name of the young woman who was about to make her a lot more wealthy than she already was. The young woman's amber eyes met Yasmine's jade green ones with something that looked as if it may have been a silent plea. "It will be kept confidential? My name, I mean." She inquired, suddenly seeming a little agitated and passing a sideways glance at the door. Whether she thought someone would burst in at any moment or she was eyeing an escape route was indeterminate. "Of course." Yasmine stated assuredly, a wide grin on her face that might have been encouraging if the woman didn't seem so overly eager. The young woman sighed, resigned to do something that may be more dangerous than embarrassing. "Kettler, Danielle Kettler."

It was highly improbable that a woman such as Madame Yasmine hadn't heard the name before and Danielle was taking a great risk in revealing it, at least her last name. Out of professional courtesy, Yasmine only nodded and called her only by her first name. Danielle pulled a thick, folded envelope out of her pocket and drew out the appropriate number of credits, stating snidely. "100,000. It's all there but you can count it if you like." Danielle returned the envelope to her pocket glad to have plenty of credits left over. Yasmine fingered the obscenely large amount of money laying on her desk for a few moments looking a little like a pirate with a chest full of gold and jewels. Well, this payday could buy a lot of glittering gems. Drawing herself out of her self imposed reverie, Yasmine directed Danielle to sign and initial the necessary documents, concluding the business portion of the transaction. The two women stood nearly simultaneously and Danielle wondered briefly if it was appropriate to shake the woman's hand. Inwardly, she was a little worried that something foul might rub off from Yasmine's hand causing her to stifle the desire for professionalism.

Yasmine led Danielle out of the office and down the long corridor that led back toward the parlor. Riddick hadn't moved from his shadowy corner, preferring the limited cover of darkness it offered. He stiffened a little and rose away from the wall, stepping forward into the crimson lights of the room. Yasmine smiled pleasantly as Danielle took her place beside Riddick who instantly began to lead her toward the hallway that led to his private room. He was more than eager to get as far away from the brusque Madame as possible. Riddick felt the woman's cold, clammy hand take hold of his muscular arm as her long nails pinched painfully. Carefully she drew him back away from Danielle's presence, leaving the young woman standing timidly at the end of the hall. "Listen to me, Riddick. This is a VERY important client so you are to treat her with utmost respect! She's paid for the whole night, that's A LOT of money. Make sure you're worth it." Yasmine hissed at him sounding very much like the snake the lanky woman resembled. Riddick's steel gaze glanced down where Yasmine's hand still clutched his arm and back up toward her own jade orbs. The look he gave her meant death if she didn't release him instantly. Thinking intelligently, if not of just her own safety, Yasmine released Riddick who wordlessly turned his back on her to join his new client whom he was sure would be much more welcome company. Yasmine's face twisted in seething anger at having been so obviously dismissed.

 **Chapter Two: That Night**

The long hallway resembled the parlor with much the same décor. Gaudy golden candelabras and even more elaborate mirrors lined the walls making the establishment even more distasteful visually. Danielle didn't notice the décor while she watched as the long corridor seemed to grow exponentially longer, starting to resemble a gauntlet of some sort. She could feel Riddick's hand on the small of her back and, although it rested there gently, she wasn't sure if it was meant to be supportive or pushy. Riddick paused before one of the tawdry wooden doors that he opened by passing a thin wristband he wore on his left wrist over the brass electronic handle. The light blinked green indicating the door was open and Riddick turned the curved handle and led Danielle inside.

The room itself was another ode to the color red and sported a large four post bed, two bedside tables, a tacky chaise in the corner, a liquor cabinet and it's own private bathroom. The door closed behind her with a loud thud making Danielle jump a little at the sound. Riddick moved toward the liquor cabinet on the wall beside the door letting his hand trace along Danielle's lower back as he walked by. Riddick poured two large goblet style glasses of red wine from a decanter, offering one to Danielle who remained where he had left her apparently too shy to move. "Here, it'll help you relax." Riddick stated as Danielle took the oversized glass with both of her tiny hands. He offered her a slight smile wondering just what had brought such a shy young woman to a place like this. Danielle sipped the wine lightly after having discerned the bouquet was acceptable and the possible age of the vintage. It was actually surprisingly good wine despite being served in a brothel. Riddick scrutinized the young woman for what was essentially the first time, having failed to do so in the parlor upon first meeting her. She was rather petite with hair that must've been very long due to the fact that the pony tail she wore fell to the middle of her back. Riddick suddenly found himself imagining what it would look like if it were taken down and free of restraint. It must be quite a sight to see. She had a round face that sported a well proportioned nose, full, pink lips and a pair of eyes the likes of which he'd never seen before. Once again, Riddick found himself cursing his shined vision. Lastly, Riddick's eyes raked over her body finding a soft, curvy figure that was the epitome of an hourglass with nicely rounded hips and a pair of well developed breasts that he found himself staring at for longer that was necessarily appropriate. Altogether, the young woman before him was a lovely little package, especially combined with her shapely ass he'd noticed before they arrived at the room, and Riddick began to feel the stirrings of his own desire for her. That was something that hadn't happened in quite a while.

Leaning casually against the liquor cabinet, Riddick forcibly brought himself out of his lustful admiration of the young woman's body long enough to ask: "You got a name?" Riddick rarely, if ever, had any interest in the names of others unless it suited his needs in some way. It the case of the shy creature before him, Riddick wanted to know some detail about her although he couldn't really put his finger on why. A pair of amber eyes finally met his for the first time since their initial meeting in the parlor. Softly, she answered, the barest breath of sound. "Dani…just Dani." She preferred the shortened version of her name that most people, save for her father, used. Riddick felt a smirk tug at his lips as he rolled the name over in his head. He didn't know why but it suited her, having a certain charm all of it's own. "I'm sure Yasmine told you my name." Riddick commented, fighting a sudden bout of bile that crept up his throat as he mentioned the abhorrent woman. Dani nodded quietly before adding. "Yes, I've heard of you before I came here. Nothing in detail, just the basics." The admission came as a slight shock to Riddick who wondered just how a young woman such as Dani would've come across that type of information and why she would be interested in the first place. There was no mistaking the look of shame that came over Riddick's face when she mentioned knowing who he really was. "Well, it's best you don't know the details. Most of it's not even stuff _I_ want to remember." Dani's gaze softened into a look of empathy, an emotional mask that almost pained Riddick a little. "I'm sorry." She stated softly as her eyes fell to the wineglass in her hand again.

Retaining his own half finished wineglass, Riddick strode toward the bed as he carefully maneuvered his tank over his head with his free hand. The unwanted garment was quickly discarded to the floor as he casually flopped onto the bed, his muscles bunching slightly as he placed the unoccupied hand beneath his bald head. Riddick didn't miss Dani's appreciative gaze as her eyes wandered over his well toned arms and chiseled chest. He couldn't help but chuckle at the obvious desire he saw in her eyes which, combined with her edgy mannerisms, made her look utterly adorable. "Like what you see?" Riddick asked rhetorically, his grin broadening as he watched Dani blush furiously at having been caught gawking so lustfully. She said nothing as she took another sip of liquid courage, desperately hoping he would think that the color of her cheeks was due to the wine and not humiliation. Riddick placed his wineglass on the bed side table and softly patted the bed beside him. "You can come over here, I promise I won't bite. Unless, of course, you'd like me to. I won't even charge extra." Riddick's cocky smile hadn't faded one bit and Dani was reduced to another bout of rampant blushing at his bawdy humor. He was truly enjoying the power he had over the fetching young woman more so than any other woman he'd met in his lifetime. Riddick had always prided himself in his ability to make a woman weak in the knees, often with only the sound of his voice. He'd adapted many of those abilities to the bedroom and was anything but humble about the long and varied string of satisfied women scattered across the known Universe.

To Riddick's relief, Dani stepped forward as she cautiously made her way toward the bed. Pausing suddenly, her face took on a slightly pensive look as she chewed her bottom lip nervously. Another sip of liquid courage slid down her throat as Dani began to speak. "I have to tell you something." Riddick's cocky smile faded a little adopting a softer and gentler persona. "You've never done this before, have you? Been to a brothel." He inquired, hoping he hadn't embarrassed the poor girl irrevocably. Dani's feet adopted that nervous fidgeting he'd seen in the parlor and Riddick raised himself up on his elbows debating on whether or not to reach out to her apologetically. "Yes…I mean no. I haven't….ummm….been with anyone before." Dani choked out the words around the lump in her throat hoping Riddick understood her meaning and wouldn't force her to spell it out for him. Riddick's mercury eyes blinked for a few moments. He didn't mistake the look of shame that descended on her face when Dani made her confession. Truthfully the look made him feel a slight pang of what Riddick could only guess was regret. "This is a pretty fucked up place to loose your virginity." Riddick stated, hoping it didn't come out as cold sounding as he imagined it might've. Dani raised her eyes to his, surprisingly devoid of any anger or embarrassment. "I'd heard about this place and figured the men here wouldn't be as….choosy." Dani admitted her reason for coming to Madame Yasmine's Criminal Brothel to loose her virginity.

Sitting up on the bed, Riddick swung his legs over the side and Dani briefly feared she might've offended him inadvertently. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Riddick asked, his voice surprisingly level. Dani swallowed back her fear, silently debating on the option of simply leaving and foregoing the entire idea. "I didn't mean…. It's just, well, look at me. Men aren't exactly lining up around the block to go out with me, no matter how much money my father has." Dani explained, bitterness unmistakably seeping into her voice. Riddick let his eyes take her in again, failing to see what could be so intensely disgusting about Dani that would drive her to this extreme. "I'm lookin'." Riddick replied, his eyes shifting to meet Dani's own gaze as he awaited her response. Dani seemed suddenly despondent as if she'd expected him to agree or run away, not reply so nonchalantly. She decided that two could play at that game. "Just 'cuz your eyes are shined doesn't mean your vision is impaired." Riddick actually smirked at this, her facetiousness and clever humor made Dani far more intriguing than he could have guessed. He heard Dani's deep sigh as she forced out a further explanation. "My father is always encouraging me to go out with men of his choosing. Men that he believes he can mold into a mirror image of himself. It always ends badly and I've even been told that it's because I'm too ugly." Riddick's incredulous look gave Dani a moment of pause. Riddick let out a derisive sound. "Are they blind or just stupid?" Riddick found himself asking, curious about what would have prompted such coldness toward her. Dani shrugged her shoulders as she answered. "They're rich." That was all Riddick needed to hear. These rich guys were a dime a dozen, all of them searching for a trophy wife they could show off at important functions. Dani, apparently, didn't fit their particular mold.

Having some idea of what had motivated Dani to seek out the attentions of a convict instead of some nice college kid with a promising future, Riddick decided to make it his goal to give her exactly what she came there for, and then some. He crooked a finger, urging Dani to step forward until she was closer to him. Dani complied, still sporting her nervous agitation. "I have a request." She said quietly, her voice returning to it's previous whispered tone. "I'd like you to pretend like it's real, like you really want me. Not like I've paid you." Dani's eyes fell away from his as she spoke almost as if she feared a sudden rejection. She knew he wouldn't, this was his job but for one night she wanted it to be different. Riddick smiled pleasantly as he let his hands gently rub the soft flesh of her arms. "I think I can do that….if you do something for me." Riddick waited for her answer only receiving a shy nod. "Rule number one: No one in this room is to refer to themselves as ugly." Dani's eyes met Riddick's silver gaze with a look almost akin to shock. A warm smile stretched across her face as she once more nodded her agreement. A smile like the one she'd just offered him would be enough to drive any man insane. For the first time in a long time, Riddick felt he was a very lucky man.

Laying on his side as he propped himself up on one elbow, Riddick idly stroked Dani's thigh through the tight, black leggings she wore. Dani still displayed a modicum of trepidation as she continued to nurse the oversized glass of wine. Riddick's hand trailed up the length of her thigh, dangerously close to her secret recesses although he pulled away and let the appendage travel further up her body until it wormed it's way beneath her shirt. Stroking gently across her abdomen, Riddick rumbled with anticipation at the feel of her soft flesh. Dani's abdominal muscles hitched briefly at his touch and Riddick was pleased when she rewarded his cautious approach by relaxing almost instantly. Riddick's curiosity got the better of him, forcing him to ask: "What made you pick me, anyway? I mean, instead of the wet panty poster boy you were eyeing." Dani glanced toward Riddick whose mercury spheres were intent on her. She licked her lips momentarily as she considered her answer, little knowing how the subtle action of her tongue sliding over her lips made Riddick want to attack her mouth voraciously. He held the feeling at bay, that could wait a few more moments. "I don't know. I think because there was something sad about you. Something in your eyes." Dani responded, hoping that Riddick didn't think she was silly for such an unusual answer. There was a certain sincerity in her eyes as she spoke and Riddick caught another glimpse of that empathy he'd seen before. What was it about this woman that made him want to accept whatever peace she thought she could offer him? For a brief moment it looked as if Dani was going to reach out to him, her hand moving slowly toward his face. Riddick swallowed hard, awaiting the gentle contact he'd experienced so little of in his life. That touch never came as Dani arrested the movement, dropping her hand back to cup the wineglass again.

Feeling oddly lost without the gentle caress he'd expected, Riddick slowly pulled his hand away from the soft, heated flesh of her abdomen and reached up to the topmost button of her blouse. Riddick required only one hand as he deftly worked his way down Dani's blouse, popping out each button from the eyehole that held it in place as easily as one might snap their fingers. Noting her sudden spike in apprehension, Riddick began talking softly in the hopes of coaxing Dani to relax. "Most of the time my eyes just terrify people. Not that I mind all that much, keeps 'em at a distance. Never heard anyone say they're sad before. I'll haveta remember that one." Riddick paused fleetingly as he gently pulled the gauzy material off of Dani's shoulders and let it fall away behind her. "That's better." Riddick noted with a slightly wicked grin on his face. "Although, you do still have far too many clothes on." He idly played with the thin strap of Dani's camisole, gently sliding it over her shoulder until it rested against her upper arm. The idea of parting with another article of clothing, especially one that would leave her so exposed, drove Dani's trepidation to new heights. Tilting her head back, Dani finished off the remaining wine in her glass with one long swig. Riddick chuckled softly as he pulled the now empty glass from Dani's firm grip. "Okay, enough of that for now. I want you relaxed, not drunk." Dani offered him a half hearted smile, intensely trying to stifle the fluttering in her stomach that had little to do with the alcohol. "Let's get this off." Riddick stated as he tugged at the hem of the thin, satiny camisole taking great pleasure in slowly lifting it over her head.

Tossing the camisole aside, Riddick's eyes were fixed on Dani's breasts that were encased in a white satin bra trimmed in delicate lace. His already obscenely hard cock twitched in his pants at the sight of what lay beneath the blouse Dani had been wearing. Riddick licked his lips in anticipation of what the two perky mounds would feel like as he nipped and suckled and licked. He forced the thought away as a playful muse suddenly struck him with inspiration. Grasping his own half finished wine glass from the bedside table, Riddick took a quick sip before allowing a few drops of the red liquid to fall on Dani's shoulder. With almost inhuman speed, Riddick leaned over and licked the descending droplet from her skin, relishing in the taste of the wine and the salty sweet taste of her flesh. Dani's breath hitched and Riddick could feel her shutter slightly at the sudden intimate contact. "Like that?" He asked with a broad, knowing smile on his face. "Y-yeah." Dani stammered breathlessly as she felt Riddick's hand on her chest, gently pushing her back on the bed. "Just relax, Dani, I got you." Riddick cooed softly as he noted a flash of fear in her eyes. The cold liquid of the wine dribbled onto the valley between her breasts where it made a small river of crimson fluid that pooled at the hollow of her throat. With the broad grin still on his face, Riddick lowered himself over her as he licked slowly following the trail of wine. At the hollow of her throat, Riddick suckled gently until he was certain no wine remained. Riddick could feel the hammering of her heart beneath him as he raised himself up and away from neck. "See, wine isn't just for drinking." Riddick stated coolly as he offered Dani a saucy wink.

Hovering over her like a steel eyed golem, Riddick's attention was again fixated on her soft, pink lips. There was little call in this business for kissing and Riddick could count on two fingers the number of clients he'd offered up his lips to. Whether soft and gentle or rough and demanding, a kiss was far too intimate for this line of work. Now, with Dani's sweet, soft body beneath him, Riddick felt a yearning to sample the pleasures of her mouth more than he had with any other woman, even his conquests before coming to Madame Yasmine's. "I'd really like to taste your lips. Is that okay?" Riddick asked gently, not wishing to take from Dani anything she should freely give. Dani nodded, unable to form anything that resembled coherent speech. Slowly, Riddick lowered his mouth to hers, a soft brushing of lips. The kiss was gentle and exploratory urging Dani to dictate the pace and depth. Dani was reluctant to open to him as Riddick's tongue slid along her lips demanding entry. Pulling back, Riddick gazed down at her, one hand softly stroking her cheek. "You ever kissed anyone before?" He asked, curious as to her timid reaction. Dani nodded slowly. "Yeah, I made out with a guy once. We were supposed to…ummm…you know. He had a, well, I guess an equipment malfunction. He said it was because I was…." Dani's voice trailed off as her face flooded a bright shade of red. It was clear to Riddick that the incident was humiliating for Dani to recall and he had no desire to embarrass her any further. Not only that but the idea that some other man had touched her bothered him for entirely different reasons. Riddick had no idea why but he felt a strong desire to wipe away all existence of that man from Dani's body. Gently nuzzling into her neck, Riddick asked softly: "Is he the guy that called you ugly?" Riddick could feel Dani nod as he pulled away reluctantly from his ministrations to her neck. "Put him outta your mind. He's just a limp dick anyway." Riddick told her, his way of offering a little consolation. Dani frowned, something that Riddick found unpleasant. "Not that limp. He was caught screwing one of my father's maids at a party. Guess she was more his type." Riddick's fingers continued stroking her cheek gently, his eyes offering a form of solace. The poor girl's self esteem had been completely shattered. "None of that shit. That asshole will get his. I'll have to make a note to track him down and break his legs." Riddick stated in a surprisingly charming manner that elicited a bubbly giggle from Dani.

Riddick smirked as he lowered himself toward her delectable mouth again. "Now, where was I?" He asked rhetorically, the words breathed against her lips. Dani sighed softly as she opened to him, finally allowing Riddick's tongue the entry it badly desired. Riddick took his first real taste of her, a heady mixture of subtle, earthy flavors that sent his head spinning. _DAMN!_ Riddick mused as he deepened the kiss a little more, urging Dani's surprisingly enthusiastic reaction. Their tongues danced and twined around one another, both fighting for dominance. Riddick's hand traveled slowly from her hip, over her waist until it finally settled on one of Dani's soft breasts. He massaged it gently through the satin and lace of her bra. Gods, how he wanted that thing off! Riddick elevated Dani's body slightly with one arm while freeing her bra clasp with the other. His lips never left hers as Riddick pulled the thin material away, finally releasing Dani's delectable breasts. Riddick eventually released Dani's bruised mouth, trailing a series of soft kisses and gentle nips along her neck. Dani moaned delightfully as Riddick paused at the juncture of her neck and shoulder where her blood pulsed beneath her skin to the beating of her heart. Riddick let his tongue slide along the skin tasting her as he felt the life that beat through her veins.

Squirming beneath him, Dani felt heat suffuse every part of her body as Riddick slowly crawled backward keeping his mouth in almost constant contact with her skin. He paused for a moment, letting one of his large hands glide over her smooth, alabaster skin completely absorbed in the feel of the velvety flesh beneath his fingers. Riddick's hand made it's ascent toward her breasts, casually passing a thumb over one of her hardened nipples. Dani hissed through her teeth at the sudden and intense sensation that only enflamed her need further. It was as if all of her nerve endings had awoken all at once and were driven to the brink of madness by Riddick's careful ministrations. He lowered himself slowly, allowing his tongue to trace circles around her hardened bud before sucking gently on it. Dani's back arched as she begged for more contact, her voice sounding strange and distant as she moaned. "Ohhhh….Gooddsss!" The sounds of pleasure escaping Dani's lips only served to spur Riddick on further as he made a languid trail with his tongue toward the opposite breast to lavish the same treatment on it. Riddick continued his journey south, migrating slowly toward the waistline of her leggings. Raising himself up on his knees, Riddick tugged gently at the waistband. "Still too many clothes. Lift your hips for me, Sweetheart." He coaxed gently, not missing the flash of fear that tainted Dani's amber eyes. "It's okay. I wanna see you." Riddick stated as Dani reluctantly complied. She tried to force down the lump of fear in her throat as well as steady the trembling that seemed to suffuse every limb in her body. Dani had never been naked in front of any man before and now the idea was simply terrifying. _What have I gotten myself into?_ Dani considered as Riddick pulled away the last articles that held her modesty.

Two swirling mercury spheres gazed down at Dani's naked body and she wasn't sure she liked what they portrayed. It was a cyclonic mixture of need, desire and lust, something Dani had never seen before in the eyes of any man. All she could ever expect was disinterest or outright disgust. Now, as she locked her gaze with Riddick's intense silver pools Dani suddenly felt very small. Riddick's hands ran smoothly over the naked flesh of her thighs as a word, soft as death, tumbled from his lips. "Beautiful." Dani gazed at Riddick for a moment, a strangely passive look on her face. She'd wanted him to pretend, right? Pretend it was real. Now, Dani feared the game had begun to go a little too far. "Don't say that." She whispered as her eyes fell away from his, suffused in shame. "Why the hell not? I don't care what anyone else has said. You're beautiful, end of story." Riddick told her, his voice remaining surprisingly gentle. To halt any argument Dani might've made to the contrary, Riddick bent down over her and crushed his lips against hers in another passion filled kiss. Dani's breath was halted and any words she might've said were swallowed in that moment.

Riddick pulled away from Dani's enticing lips, moving toward the end of the bed. He softly kissed the length of Dani's thigh, finally reaching it's apex. The scent of Dani's arousal sent another rumble through his chest. Lowering himself slowly, Riddick felt Dani's surprised reaction as his tongue made it's initial contact making a long trail between her folds. Keeping a firm grip on her hips, Riddick licked the length of her several times before sucking gently on her clitoris. "Gooddsss! Yessss!" Dani cried out loudly as her body writhed and twisted in time to the rhythm Riddick created. The feelings generated in her core made Dani's head swim as coherent thought began to skitter away. The only thing she was able to hold onto was the intense feeling building deep within her waiting to explode outward like an atomic bomb. Slowly Riddick inserted a finger and began pumping in and out matching the rhythm of his tongue. He could feel how close she was, her body winding itself tighter and tighter until the inevitable eruption. _Yeah, that's it Sweetheart. I want you to come for me._ Riddick urged silently, adding a second digit and continuing the frantic pace that he knew would bring Dani to the point of no return. "Ohhhh…please! I…I need… Ohhhh GOODDDSSS!" Dani cried out as she shattered against him, her body thrashing wildly as wave after wave of pleasure assaulted her senses.

Once she had stilled, Riddick slowly crawled over Dani's overtaxed body watching the flush of satisfaction flood her flesh. Riddick lay beside her, his fingers softly dancing along her flank as Dani slowly returned to the world. "You okay in there?" Riddick inquired playfully as the glaze of ecstasy slowly disappeared from her eyes. It had been a beautiful sight and Riddick made a mental note to ensure he saw it again before their time was through. "Ummm, yeah, I think. Wow! Was that….?" Dani's voice trailed off, her mind still having difficulty processing after such an intense moment. "Yeah, it was. You've never had an orgasm before?" Riddick wondered, hoping he wasn't going to embarrass her with his curiosity. "No. I've never felt anything like that before, so it's safe to say that was my first." Dani answered shyly, glad she still felt flushed so Riddick wouldn't see her blushing. With a broad, overconfident grin, Riddick gently suckled on the nape of her neck as he whispered: "Won't be the last, either." The feeling of his lips and his warm breath against her skin made Dani tremble and she instantly felt the absence of him as he drew away from her, slowly unbuttoning his pants and pulling them off, grateful for the cool air against his heated skin. Dani's eyes grew wide at the sight of Riddick's huge erection. She'd felt it pressed against her before when Riddick tasted her lips for the first time but the sight of it standing out proudly in all it's glory gave her a shiver of fear. _This is never gonna work. He'll tear me apart._ Dani thought fearfully as she watched Riddick position himself at her entrance.

Her breathing had quickened as she felt Riddick's member pressing against her opening. Riddick placed his hands on either side of her head, watching the shadow of fear descend on her. Riddick lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek hoping to ease some of her nervousness. It was understandable, he knew, seeing as it was her first time. "Dani, Sweetheart, I need you to relax for me, okay. You know I don't wanna hurt you but it's your first time and it's gonna be pretty painful. I'm gonna do it fast so it'll hurt less and then we'll wait for the pain to go away." Riddick's words were reassuring and Dani nodded slowly, bracing herself for the pain she knew would come. The heat of her core washed over Riddick's pulsating member as he positioned the head between her slick folds. His eyes were fixed on Dani, watching her reaction intently. Slowly he pushed forward, inching himself into the velvet warmth of her body until he felt the resistance of her barrier. Riddick groaned at the feel of her around him, fighting everything inside of him that wanted to slam home and make her scream his name. No, he had to take this slowly, make it enjoyable for her. He didn't want Dani to look back on this moment and only remember pain. "Dani, hold onto me, this….this is gonna hurt." Riddick coaxed her as he forcibly held himself back. He felt her arms close around him, her fingers kneading into his flesh as she closed her eyes and waited. Riddick drew back slowly before thrusting forward and burying himself inside of her to the hilt in one quick move.

Two yellow-brown orbs stared up at Riddick, wide and full of pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Dani pressed her face against Riddick's firm shoulder, her body shaking with her sobs. "Oh, Gods…. It hurts." Dani uttered as she clutched desperately to Riddick's shoulders. Dani felt Riddick's hand on her cheek again, stroking gently and wiping away the salty droplets that rested on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Shhhhh….I know it hurts, Baby, but the pain will stop soon. I won't move til you tell me to. Okay, Sweetheart?" Dani nodded her head against Riddick's shoulder as he offered her words of encouragement. Dani stilled herself, slowly lowering her head back onto the pillow. Riddick wanted to stoke the fires he'd lit earlier, he wanted Dani to feel the pleasure she'd felt before. His mouth crushed over hers in a gentle, searching kiss that served to take her mind off of some of the pain. She could feel him inside of her, his huge cock pulsing against her sensitive inner walls. The initial pain had begun to subside leaving in it's wake a sharp, persistent ache. "I'm sorry." Dani whispered as Riddick finally released her lips. He offered her a warm smile, saying: "You're doin' just fine, Baby." Dani closed her eyes, focusing not on the pain but on the feeling beneath it. "It's okay, now. You can move." Riddick withdrew gradually before pushing forward again at an agonizingly slow pace. Testing her reaction with shallow thrusts, beads of sweat began to form on Riddick's brow as he desperately tried to keep the measured pace. Dani's tight warmth surrounded his invading member sending spikes of delirious pleasure throughout Riddick's body.

Frantically clutching to what remained of his self control, Riddick maintained the slow rhythm of his thrusts, watching Dani's face intently for any sign of pain or discomfort. He pressed himself closer to her, feeling the delicious friction and heat of the intimate proximity of their bodies. Riddick leaned down, gently kissing and nibbling at Dani's chest and shoulders, hoping to draw out more of her gloriously erotic moans. "You okay?" Riddick asked as he raised himself a little higher on his elbows. Dani nodded, her eyes heavy lidded but not closed. He could feel her relaxing beneath him, beginning to shift against him almost begging for more contact. Riddick wasn't about to disappoint her as he pulled out nearly completely before thrusting back in with increased power. Dani's head fell back, exposing the inviting flesh of her neck as a deep moan echoed from her throat. "Yessss! Ohhhh, mmmmmm!" Riddick repeated the motion, feeling Dani's fingers gripping tightly at the firm muscles of his shoulders. Dani cried out even louder as Riddick continued with a series of powerful thrusts that, although maintained at his previously slow pace, sent intense shutters of pleasure throughout her body. "You like that? Is this okay for you?" Riddick spoke breathlessly, his entire body tense with restraint. A wisp of a smile passed over Dani's lips as she tightened her legs around him. "Yessss….please…." The sound of her breathless plea tested Riddick's control like never before. He fisted the bed sheet trying to regain his composure. "Ohhhh, Gods! Shhhiiiiittt!" Riddick ground out, his eyes closed tightly as he felt the glorious friction of their bodies moving together and her wet heat surrounding him.

The feeling of Dani's incredible body wrapped tightly around him combined with the magnificent sounds of pleasure she was making pushed Riddick beyond the brink of his command. "Dani, Baby, I have to…..Grrraaahhhh!" Riddick roared loudly, finally loosing the battle as he began to move inside her with faster, more powerful thrusts. The sensations jolting through his body were more intense than Riddick had ever imagined and he knew he wouldn't hold out much longer. Riddick could feel the gradual pulsing of Dani's muscles and knew she was close. "I want you to say it." Riddick virtually growled, his lips only inches from her ear. "Say my name when you come!" Dani's panting breaths fell against his shoulder between soft moans and gentle mewls of pleasure. She could feel it, the coiling knot of ecstasy that built in her core, much deeper than before. It built and spiraled, coursing through her body like a river of flame until it exploded in a powerful crescendo of rapture setting her adrift in a sea of overwhelming delirium. Stars danced behind her eyes as she cried out her pleasure. "Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods…. Rrriiidddiicckkk! The sound of his name on her lips as she came apart beneath him was more than Riddick could bear. Riddick maintained the punishing rhythm of his thrusts, pumping almost madly inside of her as Dani's body pulsed around his throbbing cock. Flames licked at the base of Riddick's spine sending a tingle of pleasure through his groin announcing his impending release. Driving into her willing body a few final times, Riddick suddenly stilled as heated tendrils snaked their way through his body and instant before he exploded inside of her. His world went black for a fraction of a second, his body stiff and trembling with the onslaught of his climax. Riddick's head tilted back as he roared out in ecstatic bliss. "Gooddsss…. FUUUCCCCKKKKK!" As the last tremors of his climax coursed through his body, Riddick fell against Dani's body, sweaty and spent.

 **Chapter Three: Not Pretending**

Riddick was still panting with exertion when he finally came out of his orgasmic haze. His cheek was resting against Dani's as his warm breath fell against her skin. "Dani." Riddick whispered against her ear before she felt his lips brushing the tender flesh of her neck. Fearing his weight may be too much on Dani, Riddick raised himself off of her body but remained hovering above her. Dani's eyes slowly opened to meet his swirling mercury gaze. "You okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?" The concern in Riddick's voice brought a smile to Dani's lips. "No, it was wonderful." She said behind glittering eyes. Her next words were so soft, even with his sensitive ears it was nearly silent. "Thank you." Riddick lowered his lips to hers, her taste more intoxicating than before combined with the scent of arousal that still hung in the air. Riddick pulled back slowly, his eyes still glowing brilliantly as he gazed down at her. "You're welcome." He said softly, his hand caressing her cheek. "Sorry if I got a little carried away. I haven't felt anything that intense in a long time. Hope I wasn't too rough." Riddick said apologetically, looking slightly ashamed. Dani was amazed that he could ask forgiveness for what had been a beautiful moment in her life. She had gotten what she asked for, it felt real enough and part of her began to wonder if Riddick had been pretending but she dismissed the idea as fantasy. Clearly he was a very good actor. Bravely, Dani reached up her hand, placing it against his cheek. She could feel slight traces of stubble against her fingers. "Nothing that good could be too rough. You didn't do anything wrong." Dani said with conviction in her voice. Riddick had no idea why, but the consolation she offered him meant more that he believed possible.

Careful not to hurt her, Riddick rolled onto the bed beside Dani, the cool air a stark contrast to the warmth he'd just been enveloped in. Dani shifted her body experimentally, grimacing as lingering pain shot through her loins. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the crimson stains that coated her thighs; it was much more blood that she'd expected. _I knew it, he tore me apart._ Dani mused absently as she pulled the sheet over her body to hide her modesty, her shyness returning. "You can use the shower to clean up." Riddick mentioned, his voice mildly indifferent. He hadn't missed the embarrassed look on Dani's face when she'd seen the result of the act. Rolling onto his side to face her, Riddick laid a hand gently on her thigh. "Don't worry about it. It's natural; besides you really don't wanna know what else might be on these sheets." Riddick's broad grin and the joking comment made Dani giggle lightly despite how humiliated she'd been earlier. Keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her body, Dani slid off the edge of the bed and began a vain search for her clothes. She began gathering the strewn articles when Riddick's voice drew her attention. "Nope. Rule number two: No clothes." He remained on the bed but moved close enough to reach for her. Slowly he began to pull away the sheet that hid Dani's body from him. "And no covering up." It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before, but Dani still felt overly self-conscious being bared so openly to him. "That's better." Riddick rumbled, his eyes raking over her naked body with the same needful look she'd seen before.

The warm water poured over Dani's body and served to relieve much of the ache between her legs. The water flowed ruddy for a moment as the remnants of the blood washed away to disappear down the drain. Using a softly scented bar of soap (the only thing of it's kind she could locate), Dani managed to concoct a thick foamy lather to clean her body more thoroughly. Standing beneath the hot spray, Dani didn't hear the bathroom door open nor did she realize someone had entered the stall with her. The feeling of strong hands on her waist frightened Dani nearly out of her skin. She remained in the corner of the stall, the bar of soap clutched tightly in her hands. "W-What are you doing in here?!" Dani stammered as she tried to force the rapid beating of her heart to adopt a more normal rhythm. Riddick couldn't help but chuckle. "Let's just say it's part of the package." He closed the short distance between them, reaching out and taking the soap from her now slick fingers. Riddick noted how Dani's eyes moved over his toned, naked body eventually falling once more on his, rather impressive, anatomy. _Fuck! Why did he haveta say package?_ Dani considered as she forcibly tore her gaze away. The sly smirk on Riddick's face didn't help matters either. Riddick reached for her, his hand wrapping gently around her wrist and nearly encompassing the entire circumference of it. "Come here, I'll wash your back." Riddick urged, pulling Dani toward him until her back was facing him. Absently, Dani pulled her long hair over her shoulder, revealing the intricate details of her back to Riddick who watched intently as her muscles shifted beneath her pale skin. A patch of vibrant color caught his eye on her right shoulder blade. "You have a tattoo?" Riddick inquired, sounding a little surprised. "Yeah. Just another attempt to piss off Daddy. It's why, if I have to wear a dress to one of his functions, I make sure it's got spaghetti straps." Dani explained, glancing over her tattooed shoulder at Riddick with a mischievous gleam in her eye. Riddick's grin broadened at Dani's devilish intent behind the tattoo. His fingers traced over the intricate design of a blue flower that seemed to emit a soft glow. "Well, I like it. It's sexy." Riddick purred into her ear as his soapy hands ran seductively over her back. Part of Dani wanted to shy away from him, but the expert care Riddick was taking as he washed her back much more thoroughly than was necessary made her lean closer to him. Dani felt the firm warmth of his chest against her as Riddick brought his hands around her waist where they slowly traveled up her body. As his slick hands massaged her gently, Riddick realized he was already getting hard again, something that hadn't happened in a good long while. Dani gasped as she felt his hardness against her bottom and she tilted her head up to look at him. Riddick smiled down at her, his silver eyes burning with lust. "I think it's time we got outta here." Riddick rumbled, his baritone voice echoing in the small, enclosed space of the shower stall.

Riddick stepped out, toweling off his body quickly as Dani rinsed the remaining soap from her body. Although the steam had fogged up the clear glass of the shower stall, Riddick got a pleasant view of the last traces of soap running down Dani's naked body. His cock pulsed at the sight and he forced himself to leave and return to the sleeping quarters before he put Dani's body through the tiles with his powerful thrusts. Dani toweled off her hair and wrapped a second one around her body. A few lingering traces of water glistened on her body as she made her way back toward the gaudy, oversized bed. Riddick lay across the covers, his head propped up on one elbow as he watched her emerge. One couldn't mistake the look of disappointment on his face as Dani appeared clad in a white towel. "Rule breaker, huh?" Riddick stated flatly, his eyes centered on her. A slight blush crept up Dani's cheeks as she realized her mistake, slowly pulling the towel away and letting fall to the floor. She suddenly felt the absence of the warm fabric as cool air kissed her skin sending a series of goose pimples along her arms and shoulders. Riddick lay back, patting the bed beside him prompting Dani to crawl onto the bed and kneel beside him. Dani wasn't sure what he wanted from her, she'd already got what she paid for. Riddick offered her no instruction, waiting to see what Dani would do of her own accord.

Golden-brown eyes searched the intricately designed muscles and marveled at the soft bronze glow of Riddick's skin. He watched Dani intently as she trailed her gaze over his immaculate form. She felt as though she were seeing an Earth-bound God in all his naked glory. A student of mythology from an extensive array of planets, Dani absently wondered if Riddick might've resembled Prometheus from Earth's Greek Pantheon. The idea pleased her and a slow smile stretched across her lips. With cautious curiosity, Dani's slender fingers reached out to brush against the glowing skin that had her so fascinated. Riddick had to stifle a groan that clawed at his throat from her touch. Dani's fingers gently caressed his pectorals, gliding across them like feathers and making Riddick want to beg for a firmer touch. No, he wanted Dani to act of her own accord, to find her own voice. He licked his lips reflexively, the lingering taste of Dani's mouth still present. Feeling bolder, Dani offered Riddick the firmer touch that he craved, massaging his muscles with her delicate hands. Riddick closed his eyes as a low moan escaped his lips. "Mmmmmm." The sound of his pleasure gave Dani a thrill and served to encourage her next incredible move. She lowered her lips to his chest, brushing a feather light kiss against his heated skin. Riddick's eyes flew open at the unexpected contact that left him panting with anticipation.

Emboldened by Riddick's responses, Dani laid kisses against his flesh occasionally letting her tongue dart out to taste him. It was salty and spicy and she reveled in it. A slightly wicked smile floated across her lips as Dani continued her seductive teasing to the tune of Riddick's throaty groans. Her gentle touches and whispered kisses were almost too much for Riddick to bear but the glorious torture was too sweet to end. Riddick had grown accustomed to grasping hands and the unyielding touch that the type of women he had sampled in his past. Now, Dani's soft caresses and the delicate touch of her mouth had him begging for more as he delighted in the ecstatic agony she brought him. Dani gently nipped at Riddick's abdominal muscles making his entire body twitch as a shutter of pure pleasure moved through him. _For someone who's never done this before she sure knows how to bring a man to his knees!_ Riddick thought to himself as he watched Dani's actions through heavy lidded eyes. Kissing along the juncture of his hip, Dani's long hair fell like a soft breath of wind against Riddick's skin, agonizing him even further. His pain stopped momentarily as Dani paused, raising herself up on her knees. Her attention was fixed on his pulsating member, visually studying the organ that had been buried inside of her only a short time ago. She chewed her lip nervously as she reached out and softly brushed her fingers against it. It was hard and thick and Dani realized why she'd felt so much pain before. Riddick hissed through his teeth as her fingers made contact with his throbbing rod and he wanted nothing more than to grasp her hand and hold it tightly around the shaft as he bucked upwards.

Feeling braver than ever before, Dani clasped the thickness of his member although her grip was much too gentle for his liking. With her hand wrapped around him, Dani began stroking him, her touch firmer than before. Riddick felt as though his entire body was on fire as his head rolled back and he panted almost to the rhythm of her strokes. He felt heat on the head of his cock a split second before Dani's mouth closed over it as she lowered her self as far as her throat would allow. _Oh, Christ! Shit! She's gonna fuckin' kill me!_ Riddick's mind screamed as his head fell back and an ecstatic moan let loose from his throat. "Ohhhh! Shhhhh….Fuuucckkk!" Riddick groaned loudly as Dani's mouth slowly moved up and down half the length of his shaft. Fighting his baser urges, Riddick contented himself with watching the intensely erotic display of Dani's lips against the heated flesh of his rock hard member. Pulsing her tongue against him, Dani willed her throat to open further, nearly swallowing Riddick's entire length before sliding back up again. Riddick knew he wouldn't last much longer if Dani continued her oral activities and he didn't want it to end that way, at least not with her. Dani, he conceded, deserved better than that. "Stop." Riddick uttered, his voice husky with need. Dani slowly licked the length of his shaft making it twitch excitedly. "Dani, Baby, stop." Riddick practically pleaded as she turned her amber eyes toward him. "Did I do something wrong?" Dani asked sheepishly, wondering why Riddick had asked her to stop. "No! Gods, no! If you'd have kept going I would've come. Don't wanna do that just yet." Riddick offered her a smile as his large hand caressed her arm.

Dani looked suddenly very ashamed, her eyes cast down and away from him. "I just wanted to give you something….to thank you." She said softly, settling back on her legs. "You don't haveta do that. Besides, this is supposed to be about you." Riddick told her, feeling uneasy as she adopted the shy disgrace he'd tried to help her shed earlier. Riddick offered her a sly grin that stretched across his face and made his mercury eyes glow. "You feel up for more?" He asked, resting his hand on her hip. Dani remained silent, only giving a shy nod. Riddick inched her closer, urging her with a gentle command. "Straddle me." Dani gave him a questioning look, worrying at her lip again. "You keep doin' that there won't be anything for me to nibble at." He said to try to ease Dani a little. Riddick could see the thoughts warring in her mind as she considered what he told her. "I'll crush you." Dani whispered softly her hand gently resting on Riddick's torso. His gaze was stern for a moment as he rebuked her with his eyes. "No you won't, come on." Riddick pressed, his hands firmly gripping her waist. Dani finally moved uttering a sharp squeak of surprise when Riddick playfully swatted her behind. "That was for breaking rule number one."

With a tight grip on her hips, Riddick gently eased Dani onto his pulsating member careful to avoid going too fast. Riddick hissed softly as Dani's wet heat made contact with his cock, spreading slowly and allowing his invading member entry. When their bodies finally met, Riddick let out a low groan, stilling instantly with his eyes tightly closed. "R-Riddick?" Dani's concerned voice was muffled with the blood pumping furiously through his ears. He opened his eyes, meeting Dani's worried gaze. "Sorry, Sweetheart. I almost lost it for a minute. Had to get control or this woulda been over real quick." Riddick explained; the feel of her tightness around him had almost made him come the moment her pelvis met his. Satisfied that his restraint was in tact, Riddick began to move Dani slowly atop him, helping her find her own rhythm. Her body rose and fell over his, feeling the hard length of him reaching places she didn't know existed. A whole new series of sensations flooded her body and Dani suddenly felt very warm. Riddick moved his hands away from her hips, letting Dani take control which was something he'd never done before. Riddick had always liked to be the one in control but something about this girl made him want to give a little over to her. He was mesmerized by the way her body undulated on top of him as she ground her hips against him every time their bodies made contact. Riddick's hands slid slowly up her body, relishing the feel and softness of her pale skin. Gods, her body was something else. She was Aphrodite, Helen of Troy and the unattainable Guinevere all rolled into one.

Riddick could feel the fluttering of her walls against his hardness as she panted and moaned, her fingers gripping almost painfully into his pectorals. The spike of pain sent a shiver through him and Riddick obliged his own desires, beginning to piston powerfully into Dani as her body collided with his. The winding coil of pressure that had begun to build up in Dani's core suddenly exploded outward and her muscles tensed briefly before she threw her head back and screamed out her pleasure. The feeling of Dani thrashing over him sent Riddick into his own spasms of pleasure as he pumped jets of his hot seed into her quivering body. "Gggaaahhhh! Shhhiiiiittt!" Riddick roared as his hands clamped onto Dani's hips with bruising force. Every inch of Riddick's body trembled with the onslaught of his orgasm that seemed to take forever to abate. Above him, Dani panted as the last waves of her own release washed over her with residual shutters. Spent from her powerful orgasm, Dani fell across Riddick's muscular chest as her long hair tickled his skin lightly. Riddick could feel the warmth and softness of Dani against him as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Dani tried to pull away but Riddick arrested the movement with his vice-like grip. "Stay, just a moment." Riddick whispered against her ear as he felt Dani relax against him laying her cheek on his chest. His hands traveled up and down the length of her back, reluctant to release her although he knew he had no choice. "You okay?" Riddick asked, feeling Dani sigh against him, her breath warm on his skin. "Yeah. Sleepy." Dani's voice betrayed just how weary she was. Riddick couldn't help but chuckle; in his arms and with her soft, tired voice Dani seemed a little like a child. As Riddick entertained the thought a wave of protectiveness washed over him. He pushed it away sullenly, how could he protect her when she left him in a few hours? "Let's sleep for a while, seeing as I wore you out." Riddick offered her a playful jibe as he pulled the covers over both of them, wrapping his arms tightly around her and nuzzling into her softly scented hair.

Riddick lay with Dani's body curled against his, her back to his chest. The soft, regular pattern of her breathing indicated she was asleep but Riddick knew that slumber wouldn't come as easily for him. Glancing at the far wall, Riddick checked the time. The time allotted for an entire night was twelve hours and so far nearly four of those hours had passed. Riddick had no idea why, in such a short amount of time, Dani had so thoroughly gotten under his skin. She'd paid for his services and asked him to put on an act of false desire, something he'd considered was easy enough. Besides, Riddick had heard far more unusual requests in the time he'd been at Madame Yasmine's. Unfortunately, Dani's innate shyness and her self loathing in regard to her body (the very one that Riddick found so unbelievably stunning that he knew he'd be fantasizing about it for a very long time) had left an undeniable mark on him. Riddick closed his arms tighter around her, careful not to damage Dani with his immense strength, as if the act would keep her with him even when the clock ran out. He would content himself, he decided, with a few more hours of harrowing bliss holding the beautiful, delicate creature that had him enraptured practically from the moment she stepped off the shuttle.

 **Chapter Four: Her Name**

Shifting slightly beneath the blanket, Dani lingered in the throes of twilight sleep only partially aware of warm lips tracing delicate kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders. Groaning in her semi-sleep state, Dani's eyes opened slowly and she became instantly aware that she was not only naked but wrapped in a pair of muscular arms. Turning slightly, her amber eyes met Riddick's cool, steel gaze. "Hey." Riddick whispered quietly, a playful smirk on his face. Dani blushed slightly before responding in a mirrored whispering tone. "Hey." She was drawn completely out of her sleepy haze as Riddick's mouth came down to claim hers, his tongue tracing along her soft lips before delving inside for a deeper taste of her. Riddick's hands had already begun a lustful exploration of her body that sent spikes of pleasure directly to Dani's throbbing sex. With a groan, Riddick pulled his lips away from hers, carefully positioning himself over her body. "We've got a couple hours left. We should make the most of it." Riddick's impish tone did little to hide his lascivious intentions which were more than obvious as Dani felt his hardness pressed against her leg. Riddick felt a little like a teenager, he couldn't remember a time when he'd been this….eager. Dani swallowed hard, already feeling the wetness pool between her legs. "I think I already got my money's worth." She told him, barely able to disguise the husky tone of her voice. Riddick grinned as he lowered his mouth to nibble gently at her jaw line before tracing his tongue toward her ear that he captured between his teeth. Releasing her lobe, Riddick whispered: "Maybe **I** wanna get your money's worth." At that moment, Dani was lost. Her hands stroked against Riddick's firm muscles, her thumb even flicking playfully over one of his nipples. That was it. Riddick stared down at her, his eyes like two pools of molten metal. Throwing the blankets off of both of them, Riddick rose up on his knees and drew Dani's body toward him almost forcibly. Resting her buttocks on his thighs, Riddick used his hand to guide his obscenely hard cock into her welcoming channel in one quick thrust.

The collision of their bodies made Dani cry out astonished pleasure as Riddick began a rapid but easy rhythm inside of her. His hands rested on Dani's hips as he thrust in and out of her in long, measured strokes. Dani felt the glorious friction as he moved inside of her, drawing out the low, throaty moans that echoed around the room like music. Hearing the sounds that came from her as she drew closer and closer to the edge was enough to drive Riddick toward his own point of no return. Riddick began to piston in and out of her, watching her body move in time with his. He moved one of his hands away from her hip and let it slowly snake it's way up her body until it settled in the valley between her breasts. It would probably be the last time he would be able to relish in the velvety feel of her alabaster skin. Riddick could feel the flames licking at his groin combined with the intense tingling that signaled his impending release. _No! Too soon! Dani comes first._ Riddick tried to focus on that thought alone to avoid the intense and powerful act from ending too quickly. Dani felt the familiar sensation blooming in her center, winding tighter and tighter before the inevitable explosion. "Ohhhh, Gods! Riddick…I'm….." All coherent thought was instantly cut off as her orgasm rolled over her sending Dani thrashing against his body in a series of uncontrollable spasms. Riddick gave a few more powerful thrusts, grunting each time his body collided with hers, before he arched his back slightly and came inside her with a thunderous roar.

Still trembling in the aftermath of his release, Riddick collapsed over Dani, careful to keep as much of his weight off of her as possible. He was breathing heavily as he tried to force himself back to reality. Riddick gently kissed Dani's shoulder before pushing himself up on his arms to look into her eyes. There it was again, that post rapture glaze that coated her golden-brown orbs. Riddick smiled for two reasons, pride in his own work and for how utterly gorgeous Dani looked after she came. His lips met hers, a tender, gentle kiss that sent a jolt of electricity to every one of his nerve endings. Their mouths parted and their tongues danced in an ancient ritual of desperate desire. The need for air tore them apart and Dani felt the weight of Riddick's intense gaze. She feared, if he looked at her like that any longer she might spontaneously burst into flames. Reluctantly, Riddick pulled away from her, their time nearly up. "Might wanna take a shower before you go." Riddick mentioned casually as he stroked a few strands of Dani's wayward hair from her face. Gods, he wished he could bury his hands in her long, satiny locks and immerse himself in her soft scent. "Okay." Dani replied, rising from the bed and sauntering slowly toward the bathroom. Riddick smirked as he realized she'd made no attempt to cover herself or hide away from him, walking away in all her naked glory.

Dani stood under the hot spray of water, feeling oddly sullen as her time with Riddick drew to a close. She knew their time was short, only twelve hours; just the blink of an eye, really. She wasn't sure what she'd expected when she arrived in this sordid place and chose the muscular convict to take her virginity for the price of 100,000 credits. In actuality, that wasn't precisely true. Dani had expected him to rush and get it over with as quickly as possible, maybe even be a little disgusted by her body. Instead, Riddick had seduced her slowly, given her more pleasure than she'd ever thought possible and been unbelievably tender for her first time. Not only that, but he'd called her beautiful and looked at her as if she were some ethereal creature that he wanted to worship. Feelings stirred in the pit of her stomach and Dani knew she'd begun to fall for him. Steeling herself, Dani forced the unwelcome emotion away as she encased herself in a hardened shell of indifference. It was something she was very good at, considering the lifetime she'd spent with her bastard of a father. When all was said and done, Dani considered, it was just a business deal. Payment made for services rendered. So lost was Dani in her own thoughts, she again missed the fact that Riddick had decided to join her in the shower. After the initial shock of Riddick's sudden appearance, Dani found herself relaxing against his hard physique as his hands traveled languidly over her wet, naked body. She would allow herself a few final moments of luxury in his arms as her fantasy came to a close before returning to her world of privileged imprisonment. Riddick wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against himself as the warm jets beat down on their bodies.

They both dried themselves and dressed in relative silence, only passing occasional glances at one another. Dani approached the door, placing her hand on the handle when Riddick's hand suddenly clamped around her arm. He pulled her back, pressing her against the wall and crushing over her mouth in an all encompassing kiss. Dani's face bore a look of intense shock as Riddick pulled away, rather reluctantly. "What was that for?" She asked, her fingers idly tracing along her bruised lips. "Something to remember me by….and vice versa." Riddick responded, his face devoid of his usual confident smirk. Dani's eyes went wide briefly as Riddick leaned in again but instead of touching his lips to hers he only whispered in her ear: "Just so you know, I wasn't pretending." Riddick pushed himself away from the wall and his close proximity to Dani. She wore a stunned expression in the wake of Riddick's confession that she couldn't refute as she noted the complete honesty reflected in his glowing eyes. Dani tore her gaze away from his, uncomfortable with the warring emotions that flickered across his eyes and finally managed to open the door without Riddick trying to stop her again. She paused in the threshold and turned toward him. "Thank you, Riddick, for everything." He nodded, somewhat solemnly as he followed her down the long corridor toward the parlor. Riddick took his usual place in his darkened corner as he watched Dani walk toward the shuttle that would take her from his life forever. He'd concocted a fantasy that she'd return, perhaps the same time every month to spend a passionate evening in his bed. Riddick knew she never would, there was a certain dignity about Dani that would prevent her from ever entering his life again. The tall, well built blonde that Dani had been eyeing before eventually choosing Riddick approached the somber Furyan convict, whispering softly: "Do you have any idea who that was? That was Senator Kettler's daughter!" Riddick chose to ignore him in favor of a last fleeting glance of Dani as she disappeared into the shuttle bay. "Man, the things I woulda done to her! I'd have fucked that pretty little ass of hers until she screamed."

Riddick turned a baleful look at the tall blonde as the felon's lewd comment met his ears. "Can I talk to you for a minute….what's your name?" Riddick said, his voice cool and level. "Sure, Riddick. I'm Jason, always been a big fan of yours." The blonde responded as Riddick nodded absently, grasping Jason's arm and dragging him a little way down the corridor. Riddick turned suddenly, his eyes flashing silver fury as a sharp blade touched Jason's throat. "Let's get something straight right…the….fuck…. now!" Riddick growled as he held Jason's life in his murderous hands. "You don't get to think about her, talk about her or even say her name. Got that. If you even breathe a syllable of her name or if I even think I heard you say anything about what you'd do to her, I will carve out your spleen and feed it to your whore of a girlfriend Madame Yasmine. Now, get the FUCK outta my sight before I get shiv happy on your ass!" Riddick pulled his hand stiffly away from Jason's neck where he'd gripped so tightly he could feel the subtle movements of his trachea as the felon fought to breathe. Jason gasped and choked as he inhaled large gulps of much needed air. "What the fuck is your fucking problem, you crazy ass psycho bastard!? I oughtta tell Yasmine you've got a blade. That'll get your ass sent back to slam so fucking fast your head will spin!" Jason hissed at Riddick through panting gasps of breath as he continued to attempt to recover from the assault. Riddick's mercury eyes bore into him as if he could incinerate the hapless blonde with his gaze alone. "You're not gonna do that, otherwise I'll cut off your dick and make you eat it. You won't be much use to Madame Bitchface either without that important part of your anatomy. Don't fuck with me, you little shit, or I'll spend a lifetime making you regret it." Riddick stomped away to return to his corner, leaving Jason behind to contemplate the famous convict's threats.

Riddick made a passive attempt to watch the women who paraded passed, eying the line of man flesh before them and utterly relieved every time he wasn't chosen. Riddick found himself considering what Jason had told him about Dani's identity. Senator Kettler was probably more famous across the universe than even Riddick himself. He had more money than God, more connections than all the organized crime bosses in the Universe put together and was more crooked than a right angle. All in all, Senator Kettler was, quite possibly, the Antichrist. Riddick shuttered a little at the thought that the Senator's sperm was responsible for producing someone as incredibly gentle and sweet as Dani. _Maybe she was adopted._ Riddick entertained the rather pleasant thought that would have pleased him more if it weren't for the inescapable fact that the Senator wouldn't have stopped his vehicle if an old lady were crossing the street in front of it, let alone adopt a child. Riddick was curious as to what influences Dani had had in her life that turned her into the direct opposite of her father. He realized that Dani had never mentioned her mother and wondered what kind of woman she might have been. She must have been kind, strong willed and beautiful pouring all that was in her into her daughter. Dani might very well have been her mother's magnum opus.

Thoughts of the young woman who had woven her way under his skin and then walked out of his life forever began to put Riddick in a foul mood. It wasn't unusual as Riddick was typically ill tempered and gruff on a good day. On a bad day, such as this one, he was practically unapproachable. He'd had enough of the endless parade of leering women and silently vanished from his darkened corner to return to his room and brood in peace. Yasmine watched her prized stallion disappear down the dimly lit corridor as a look of complete irritation fell over her face. Riddick slammed the door to his room, standing briefly and observing the chamber he spent much of his time in. The bed was still a mess as he'd left it hours before, the cleaning crew apparently slacking in their job. As Riddick flopped down on the soft mattress he actually felt relieved they hadn't changed the sheets. Dani's soft frangrance still lingered on the pillows and Riddick found himself immersed in her enticing scent. He would enjoy the last remnants that remained of her until the cleaners came to take it away. Riddick sat up as the sounds of voices filled the corridor outside, growing louder before fading again as he heard doors opening and closing. Relieved, Riddick decided to do something he never, ever did. Using his armband to open the liquor cabinet, Riddick drew out a still unopened bottle of scotch. He opened it quickly, unscrewing the black cap and putting the bottle to his lips. The burning liquid flowed down his throat as Riddick downed a fifth of the bottle in one huge gulp. He pulled the bottle away and shook his head as his body temperature rose in response to the strong alcohol. _This is some good shit. Probably expensive as hell. Oh well…_ Riddick thought as he flopped back onto the bed intent on polishing off the bottle in the hopes that the liquid therapy would numb the persistent ache that had risen in his chest since he watched Dani disappear into the shuttle bay.

 **Chapter Five: The Gift**

FOUR MONTHS LATER: Riddick stood sullenly in his darkened corner watching giggling women choose their companions for the next few hours. Personally, Riddick hadn't been chosen in weeks since offending his last client by uttering a name that wasn't hers during intercourse. Since then, Riddick had even taken to refusing the women who chose him no matter how rarely that happened. Yasmine had grown beyond incensed at Riddick's unprofitable behavior and was seriously considering returning him to the shithole of a slam she'd gotten him from. He was no longer worth the price she paid for him despite the fact that he'd made back that sum with interest. Yasmine had hoped to double her profits off of Riddick but he wasn't being very accommodating to her greed, or her desire. Yasmine was shockingly relieved when she received an unusual document that had arrived a few days before addressed to Riddick himself. She'd opened it instantly, of course, and found the contents rather surprising. Sauntering over in her skin tight dress, Yasmine let her fingers glide along one of Riddick's muscular arms. "Come to my office, Riddick. We have things to discuss." Yasmine's thin lips curved upward a little into something of a wicked smile. The action only seemed to make her look a little clownish with the dark red lipstick she wore contrasting strangely with her pale features. Not only that, but her mouth had always seemed much too wide for her face. Riddick grimaced inwardly, stifling the desire to choke the living daylights out of the twisted bitch. He knew he'd have to wash his arm later to get her stink off of it. Riddick glared darkly at her, his eyes glowing eerily in the shadowy corner. "Fine, but you better not fucking touch me again and this better be business cuz I wouldn't screw you with a stolen dick." Riddick growled menacingly, pleased to see Yasmine retreating from him in fear.

Reluctantly Riddick followed the "Devil Woman", as he had begun to secretly call her, toward her immense office that resided at the rear of the establishment behind a rather unassuming door. The office itself might have been considered classy, especially with regard to the rest of the brothel, but it still reeked of overstated opulence. Either that or the air in the room had absorbed so much of Yasmine's foul perfume that it had become a choking gas chamber. Yasmine indicated one of the chairs in front of her desk with a wave of her hand, a silent order for Riddick to sit. The command was ignored, of course, as Riddick maintained his statuesque position in the middle of the room. Hiding her seething anger, Yasmine seated herself in her throne-like leather chair and placidly opened one of the drawers drawing out a white envelope. "This arrived for you the other day." She said dryly, holding the envelope out in front of her so that Riddick could clearly see it had already been opened. Riddick reached across the desk, intent on ripping the thing from Yasmine's hand in the hopes he'd give her a nice paper cut. Yasmine pulled it out of his grasp, holding it close to her body knowing full well the desk was too wide for Riddick's arm to cross unless he practically climbed over it. Riddick growled in agitation, absently fondling his hidden shiv and imagining Yasmine's pale throat pouring out her lifeblood until it thoroughly stained her tacky dress. Yasmine's eyes glittered with evil intent as she enjoyed the little game she was playing with the dangerous convict. Riddick knew she feared him and wondered why she insisted on grating on his nerves. One of these days, her artifice would lead to a fatal mistake. "Before I give this to you I want you to know that I fully expect for you to fuck it up and land your sorry ass back in slam. I only wish I could be there when it happens." Yasmine's pleased grin as she tossed the envelope across the desk made Riddick want to prove to the washed up slut just how dangerous he could really be. He parished the pleasant thought as he clamped his hand down on the envelope before Yasmine could snatch it away again. Riddick opened it slowly as if it might contain a rare strain of anthrax and pulled out the folded document within. Unfolding it slowly, Riddick's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he read the artfully designed certificate carefully.

 _To: The Circuit Court Rennen Voltaris Illyria System of Planets_

 _Whereas, Richard B. Riddick was convicted of multiple counts of murder in the first_

 _Degree in the Circuit Court of the Planet Rennen Voltaris and was sentenced to multiple_

 _Life sentences never again to be released. Whereas it has been represented to me that_

 _Richard B. Riddick is a fit and proper subject to Executive Clemency._

 _Now, Know Ye, that I, Robert J. Kettler, Senator of the Orridon System of Planets, by_

 _Virtues of the authority vested in me by the Laws and Bylaws of the Planet of Orridon_

 _Prime, do by these presents:_ _ **PARDON.**_ _Of the said crime of which convicted, and_

 _Richard B. Riddick is hereby acquitted and discharged of and from all further imprisonment_

 _And restored to all the rights and citizenship which may have been forfeited by the conviction._

 _Great Pardon with order permitting Expungement under the provisions of 91872 C-546 of_

 _The Government Principality of Orridon Prime._

 _Dated: 17_ _th_ _of Reida in the year 2587_

 _Robert J. Kettler, Senator, Orridon Prime_

 _And Surrounding Systems_

Riddick read the document carefully, focusing on the bold print word in the center of the page. It was something he swore he'd never see, something he'd never dreamed he'd see. A full pardon excusing him of his crimes and making him a free man. As the unusual thought permeated his brain, Riddick let a long, sly grin stretch across his face. Riddick glanced up, his hematite spheres glittering with dark intent. Slowly, methodically, Riddick leaned as far across the desk as it's width would allow bringing him less than a foot away from the suddenly very terrified woman who had retained possession of him for eight months. "You know what this means?" Riddick growled thickly, enjoying how Yasmine cringed in her expensive leather chair. "You don't own me any more." Riddick stood slowly, ensuring he made himself look as tall and imposing as possible. Yasmine remained silent, her forked tongue sealed behind her stunned fascade. Now, it was Riddick's turn to make demands as he clutched firmly to the insignificant looking document that made him, at long last, a free man. "Here's what's gonna happen…." Riddick began, his pleased grin stretching even wider across his face making him look a little like the Cheshire Cat. "I'm gonna be leaving your…establishment…today. YOU are gonna let me catch the next God damn shuttle that leaves this place AFTER you pay me what I know I'm owed seeing as I've more than made back my purchse price. If you don't believe me you can check your cooked books. THEN you're gonna shut off that thing on my spine. I know there's a ten second warning before it makes me a useless vegetable so I better not hear any fucking alarms or I'm gonna come back here and stain this whole office with your blood!" Riddick leaned over the desk, both of his fists firmly planted on it as he drove his point home.

With a trembling hand, Yasmine pulled out a small white device and began punching in a series of numbers, finally tossing it at Riddick to prove the implant had been deactivated. Riddick made a derisive sound as he glared at the insignificant looking thing that could've caused him paralysis or death. To ensure his safety, Riddick raised his powerful fist and drove it down onto the device, smashing it completely. He returned his attention to Yasmine who had shed her previous fear and once more looked completely disgusted at Riddick's mere presence. Reaching into another drawer, Yasmine reluctantly drew out the appropriate amount of credits Riddick was due and tossed them across the desk toward him as if they had burned her hand. Collecting the significant amount of money that had added up to a total of 15,000 credits and depositing them in one of his pockets, Riddick offered Yasmine a smug smile. "Pleasure doing business with you." He stated cooly as he turned toward the door. He took two steps before pausing and returning his attention to the highly aggravated woman. "One more thing, I want Dani's file. And don't try to keep anything you can use against her or I'll make it a point to come back here and keep every promise I ever made to you." Riddick told Yasmine coldly, ensuring she got his intentions exactly. He left the office a few moments later, a free man, 15,000 credits richer, and with the only proof Dani had ever been there. As he took the very next shuttle leaving the wretched brothel, Riddick intended to purchase a reasonable ship at a reasonable price and make his way toward Orridon Prime. Now, he had to go see about a girl.

Glowing eyes cut the darkness of the room, watching the sleeping figure in the bed before him. Dani shifted silently, her silhouette moving enticingly beneath the covers. Riddick stifled the aroused purr that settled in his chest as his mind invented fantasies of Dani's naked body warm beneath the coolness of the sheet. Pushing the thought away even as it sent an unwanted message to his groin making his member begin to harden, Riddick made his way slowly across the darkened room. Settling on the bed as lightly as possible, Riddick paused suddenly in his pursuit as Dani slowly rolled over onto her back. Confident that she still slumbered, the stealthy Furyan made his move.

Dani awakened suddenly to a heavy weight atop her and a large hand clamped over her mouth. Her scream was muffled against his palm as she was met with two radiant silver orbs floating above her in the inky blackness of the room. The paralyzing fear that gripped Dani's chest fluttered away almost instantly as recognition set in. She knew only one individual in the Universe with eyes like that. Riddick felt her relax beneath him, slightly ashamed of frightening her so grievously. Unfortunately, stealth and secrecy had been necessary to bring him to her. A slight grin tickled the corners of Riddick's mouth. "You know…." Riddick began, his deep voice falling over Dani like warm caramel and sending a familiar shiver of pleasure along her spine the likes of which she hadn't felt in six months. "The security in this place sucks." Slowly, Riddick drew his hand away from Dani's mouth, assured that she wouldn't scream or alert any of her protective detail. He settled back on his knees as Dani scooted up in the bed sitting against the headboard. He was slightly disappointed that she was clothed, although the thin, lacy top she wore left enough bare flesh that Riddick could still appreciate the view. "What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice sounding both irritated and questioning despite the whispered tone. Dani's eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough that she could make out most of his form although not in great detail. Wordlessly, Riddick reached behind his back and drew the now thoroughly creased envelope from his back pocket. "Care to explain this? I know your father didn't sign it of his own free will. He ain't the kind of man who strikes me as generous." Riddick stated blandly although his eyes were intense enough to pierce through steel.

Shimmering sphere's of gold fell away from Riddick's slightly accusatory gaze as Dani adopted a form of guilty reserve. A long period of silence fell between them before she managed to utter an answer, her voice barely audible regardless of the quiet of the room. "It - it was a gift, to thank you for, ummm, you know. I wanted to give you something I thought you deserved." Dani admitted, her head still bowed to him as if the generosity of what she had done had some sort of degradation attached to it. She feared, intensely, that she'd done something to displease him although Dani had no idea what. Riddick should be overjoyed to finally be a free man after spending better than half his life in and out of one slam or another as well as being chased from one end of the Universe to the other by mercs. Why he chose to use that freedom to break into her bedroom and interrogate her was something she failed to understand. Dani suddenly felt the touch of Riddick's fingers beneath her chin as he raised her head slowly to look at him. Her eyes met his, the only things truly visible on his face. "Grateful as I am, Dani, you didn't have to do that. I'd have gotten outta there eventually once I worked off my price. Would've taken years but I'd be a free man without you having to go through all this trouble." Riddick told her, his voice more gentle than before. Dani managed a sweet smile once she realized he wasn't angry at her anymore. The sight of her soft, pink lips curving upward and making her eyes glimmer slightly made Riddick swallow hard as he forced back his baser desires that urged him to claim her as his at long last. No, that could wait although his cock twitched angrily at the restraint of his pants.

The light had returned to her eyes as Dani shed her timid fascade behind the bright smile she wore. Riddick's fingers still rested below her chin, reluctant to leave the feel of her flesh for even a brief moment. He desperately wanted to cup her face in his hands and lay a kiss against her lips that would pour his soul into her but he controlled the urge, curious about the thoughts he knew were bouncing around in her mind. "It wasn't as much trouble as you might think, besides, why wait for years for what you could have now? You changed my life, so I decided to change yours." Dani's heartfelt words struck something deep inside of Riddick that he thought long dead. A dormant emotion that suddenly fluttered to life like a heart that had been returned to beating as electricity coursed through it. Riddick's face remained impassive as he uttered two words he'd used so rarely they tasted foreign on his tongue. "Thank you." Dani cocked her head at his response, noting the absolute sincerity reflected in his iridescent gaze. Her smile broadened a little, making her cheeks rise a little below her eyes. "You're welcome." She stated softly. "But you didn't have to waste your time coming all the way here. You could've just sent flowers or a card or something." Dani tried to move herself away from his constant touch that was beginning to send unwarranted sensations throughout her body. Those feelings were increased tenfold as Riddick adjusted his hand until it cupped her cheek gently. He leaned forward, uncomfortably close for Dani's own good as he said: "You don't get it, do you? I came here for you." Before Dani had the chance to move away or utter any form of protest, Riddick's lips met hers, eagerly plundering the mouth that had him mesmerized for the past few moments. His tongue played over her delicate lips as Dani sighed softly allowing him entry and letting her own dance with his. The breath from his nose fell warm across her cheek as Riddick wrapped his unoccupied hand around her body, drawing Dani closer to him as he deepened the kiss. He growled low against her lips as an inferno of sparks ignited between them, rekindling the fire that had been set six months ago at the brothel. Riddick broke off the kiss leaving both of them as hungry for oxygen as they were for each other. He leaned his forehead against hers, fighting desperately to keep the beast inside him at bay that wanted to drag her down and bury himself inside her, pumping madly into her body until she screamed his name. That simply wouldn't do; Riddick wanted to do right by her and not give into the creature that gnawed at his psyche nearly every day of his life, guiding and instructing his baser urges.

Confident of his own self control, Riddick slowly opened his eyes to Dani, his forehead still resting against hers. "You have no idea how much I've missed that. The feel and taste of your lips." Riddick whispered huskily, his voice suffused with desire. Bravely, Dani reached up a tiny hand placing it against Riddick's own cheek even as he still cradled hers. "I do. I've dreamt about you almost every night. The feel of your hands on me, your lips. It's like I've been starving for you every day since I left you. I didn't know anything could feel like this, it was almost painful." She suddenly looked a little awkward at her intimate confession that only seemed to bring a lascivious grin to Riddick's face. That was all the invitation he needed but one there was one final thing he needed to know. "Has there….been anyone else?" Riddick was breathless for a few moments before Dani offered her answer, shaking her head lightly. "No. No one since you and I don't want anyone else." Their foreheads parted as Dani looked up cautiously, desperate to see what his eyes held. A fierce pool of swirling emotions met her gaze; a powerful and penetrating mixture of need, desire and something else she couldn't describe. A fleeting glimmer of tenderness passed over Riddick's silver orbs at war with his intense craving to claim her and mark her as his own. His hand slid slowly from her cheek and trailed down the curve of her neck until it came in contact with one of the thin straps of her top. "Good." Riddick rumbled deeply. "Now, get this off before I rip it off." The stern order combined with the glaze of lust in his eyes made Dani shutter as she felt a distinct pool of wetness between her legs.

Riddick watched eagerly as Dani slowly, and more seductively than he thought possible, pulled the thin, strappy top from her body and tossed it over the edge of the bed. The sight of her pert breasts with their arousal hardened nipples made Riddick lick his lips in anticipation. Grinning wickedly, Riddick pulled the blankets from Dani's body, glaring disappointedly at the thin, lacy sleeping shorts she wore. "Those too." Riddick commanded, practically salivating as Dani instantly complied. Riddick removed his own shirt with a blur of motion so fast it was barely perceptible. Unclasping the button on his pants, Riddick paused momentarily before leaning carefully over Dani's naked body. "No." He stated bluntly. "I wanna do this right. Got all the time in the world to spend on you." Riddick could see the questioning glare in Dani's eyes, the dubious look that flooded her features. Dani remained silent, not wanting to ruin the moment for either of them by voicing her conscerns. Riddick smiled as he softly dragged his knuckles against the soft flesh of her cheek. "I'm not gonna climb back out that window when this is over. I plan on making you see stars every day. You're mine, Dani." Riddick paused as he watched her face intently. He wanted to know she understood, that she believed him. She smiled faintly as her hand came to rest on his shoulder, whispering: "I'm yours." The utter conviction in her voice was all he needed. "Mine." Riddick growled as his lips crashed down over hers.

They broke apart as Dani felt Riddick's strong hands ghosting tenderly over her skin. He lowered his face toward her neck but instead of feeling the delicious touch of his lips Dani only felt the warmth of his breath as he gently inhaled her scent. Riddick had to reassure himself that she was truly his as he reacquainted himself with her scent. Satisified, he lowered his lips to the nape of her neck, sucking gently until a small dark mark appeared. Grinning, Riddick moved further down her body, tasting and nibbling nearly every inch of her. Dani moaned softly, not wanting to alert any of the service men that she wasn't alone in her room. Riddick took one of her hardened nipples in his mouth, sucking hungrily at the rigid peak as Dani gasped and clutched at his shoulders. Her ecstatic moans filled Riddick's ears even as they poured out into the darkness of the room. He explored every inch of her, reacquainting himself with the feel of her body that had been foremost on his mind since their last sensual encounter. Her soft curves, delicate skin and intoxicating scent were enough to send him over the edge but Riddick fought the beast even as it rattled angrily in it's cage. Riddick intended this night to be different; he wanted Dani to know that she belonged to him, that she belonged WITH him.

Riddick worshipped her gently, with soft caresses and feather light kisses that displayed none of the hunger he had before. He made a seductive trail down her body until he reached the apex of her thighs, heady with the aroma of her arousal. The scent made Riddick rumble deep in his chest as he lowered himself to draw a long lick between her folds. Dani arched off of the bed as spikes of pleasure assaulted her senses. "Riddick!" She whispered breathlessly as all other coherent thought skittered away. Riddick smiled briefly; how he missed the sound of his name on her lips. His long tongue finally made contact with her clit as Dani's hips gyrated in time with the rhythm he created. Dani knew she wouldn't last long, six months of pent up need spun out of control inside of her on the verge of exploding in a moment of intense bliss. She could feel herself being drawn toward the abyss of pleasure that she knew she'd willingly tumble into. "Oh God, oh God, oh God….I'm…." Dani's voice faded suddenly as the waves of her orgasm washed over her pushing her over the brink toward enraptured delirium. Her entire body trembled in the aftermath of her release as Riddick crawled slowly over her and gathered her into his arms. Dani lay breathless against his firm chest, wrapped in the comforting embrace of his strong arms. "I've missed that." Dani stated once her mind had cleared enough to form words. Riddick's chest vibrated against her skin as he chuckled softly. "Me too. I love it when you come." Dani could feel him smiling as he nuzzled into her neck. "Don't worry, there's more." Riddick said playfully as he unwrapped his arms from around her and completed the task of removing his pants.

Positioning himself over her, Riddick slowly sunk into Dani's velvety depths. His eyes were screwed shut tightly as he felt her slick heat surround him. It took him a moment to gather his control enough that he didn't explode instantly. "Ohhhhhh…." Dani breathed as he entered her and she felt the familiar pulsing of his shaft inside of her. Withdrawing slowly before thrusting back in at the same measured pace, Riddick adopted a slow rhythm wanting to draw out the act as long as possible although his entire body screamed it's protest. Dani's legs wrapped around his waist as he rocked gently inside of her, relishing every sensation that jolted through his body. Riddick's eyes were fixed on the tempting vixen beneath him as her body moved in time with his thrusts, her eyes heavy lidded and her panting breaths coming in short gasps. He could feel the flutter of her inner walls as another orgasm bore down on her with incredible strength. Dani's head fell back against the pillow as her body began to thrash beneath him and Riddick lowered his mouth to hers swallowing her scream of pleasure. The pulsing of her walls drew out his own release as Riddick pulled away from Dani's lips letting his own fall against her neck. Riddick growled against her flesh as stars burst behind his eyes and his teeth sunk into her sensitive flesh. It wasn't hard enough to break the skin but it certainly would leave a considerable mark. Panting with exertion, Riddick took a moment to compose himself as he attempted to recover from one of the most powerful experiences of his entire life. Softly, Riddick whispered against Dani's ear: "Dani, my Dani." She smiled wistfully as her fingers played along his muscular back. "I'm all yours." She whispered in turn. "For as long as you want me." Riddick lifted himself off of her, his silver eyes finding her gilded orbs. "That's a long time." He told her firmly, hoping that Dani understood his intent. There was nothing and no one in the Universe that would take this woman from him. Only death could tear her from his arms.

Riddick lay beside Dani, idly stroking her hip and letting his fingers tickle her flank lightly. Neither one of them felt the need for sleep at the moment and Dani had even brought the lights up in her room, setting them on low for the benefit of Riddick's sensitive eyes. She wanted to see him without the veil of darkness shielding her eyes. "You know, I wonder what Daddy would say about his little girl sharing her bed with a convict?" Riddick asked with a light chuckle imagining her father's irate response to his daughter's choice of mate. Dani smiled wickedly as her fingers trailed along Riddick's caramel skin. "Who cares? Fuck him, he's a prick anyway. And don't you mean EX-convict?" Riddick couldn't help but laugh at her insolence toward her father and the accurate description she attached to him. "Yeah, I keep forgetting that part. Never been an ex-anything before." Riddick told her, purring contentedly as her fingers glided along his firm muscles. Dani adjusted her position slightly, allowing her to get a better view of him. "What? No girlfriends?" She asked, watching his face fixedly. Riddick moved his hand away from her hip, pulling Dani close to him again wanting to feel her body against his. "Nope. Just a lotta one nighters and whores. Never had time for anything more. Not til now, anyway." Riddick's eyes fell on Dani, watching for her reaction. His serious expression gave her pause. Dani needed time to get used to the idea that Riddick wanted only her and for longer that just a few passion filled nights. Still retaining her impenetrable husk, Dani stated: "You don't really strike me as the relationship type." Riddick placed his hand on her cheek, ensuring that Dani could see the truth in his eyes before he spoke again. His face was stoic as his gaze bore down upon her. "Just cuz I've never had one before doesn't mean I'm not capable of it. Whatever it is you're afraid of, don't be. It ain't just any woman I'd travel light years to be with. There hasn't been a moment for the past six months that you weren't on my mind." Never before had she heard anything as candid as what Riddick had just told her. Dani also had little doubt that he had never said anything of the sort to anyone else in his life. She made no illusions and had no expectations of him. When Riddick had grown tired of her, Dani had decided that she would let him go with all the grace and dignity she could muster. She wouldn't spend her time blubbering over the loss of a man she knew could not be caged. Sighing contentedly, Dani told him: "I guess I had no idea I was so influential." With her back turned toward him, Riddick couldn't see the smile that stretched across her face. "You are, Baby." Riddick whispered against her ear. "Just don't let it go to your head." They both shared a chuckle laying contently in one another's arms.

 **Chapter Six: In Her Best Interest**

The entrapments of slumber slowly released the hold they had on Riddick who roused himself begrudgingly from the most comfortable night's sleep he'd had in a long time. Spending two months in a small ship that was barely a pilot's seat with wings had taken it's toll on Riddick's internal clock. He'd spent almost every moment in the pilot's seat for lack of anyplace else (besides the cold metal floor) to sit or sleep. The tiny vessel had reminded him a little of the cramped skiff that he'd escaped off of the monster infested planet with Jack and Imam. Riddick groaned as he stretched in and exaggerated fashion, something he hadn't been able to do sleeping in the pilot's seat of the small ship. Finally fully awake, Riddick sighed with agitation as his hand met the empty side of the bed that Dani's warm body had occupied only hours before. The door of her private bathroom opened and Dani emerged fully dressed, much to Riddick's chagrin. She noted the unmistakable look of disappointment on his face and offered him a small smile. "Relax, Big Guy, I'm not breaking your rules. I just got changed in the bathroom so I wouldn't wake you. I've got a couple classes today at school." Riddick found himself grinning as he recalled the rules he'd made up when he'd spent the night with Dani at the brothel. Feeling no sense of inhibition himself, Riddick flung the covers off of his naked body and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Dani looked slightly abashed as she quietly reminded herself that she'd have to get used to seeing a man naked. Not that seeing a man as gorgeous as Riddick naked was such a bad thing. Riddick wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled Dani against his rock hard body, placing a less than chaste kiss on her lips. "I'm gonna take a shower, care to watch?" Riddick purred seductively, feeling his own reaction to having Dani's delectable body so close to his despite the fact that she was fully clothed. Dani blushed slightly at the offer, tempting as it was. "I'd love to but I have to finish getting ready. Maybe I could just record it, for future posterity." Dani had a mischievous gleam in her eye that Riddick found wickedly delightful. "Only if I get to return the favor." Riddick told her as his arm released Dani's suddenly overly warm body. He gently swatted her behind before disappearing into the bathroom.

Emerging from the steamy bathroom after what had seemed like hours, Riddick strode into the bedroom, a fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. Dani was seated on the edge of the bed looking slightly dour, something that made Riddick more than a little uneasy. "What happened?" Riddick inquired, wondering what travesty could have occurred during the time he was in the shower. "Jeremy knows you're here. I had to tell him before you were discovered and possibly got yourself shot. He's just a little upset, mostly with me. Says you gotta go see my father." Dani finally raised her solemn amber eyes toward Riddick who maintained his usual stoic demeanor. He let out a derisive sound that did little to mask his irritation at this new turn of events. "What? I gotta ask your Daddy for permission to date you or something?" Riddick asked, his voice heavy with agitation. Riddick wasn't necessarily sure that he could control himself around the man who wanted to sell his daughter off to the highest bidder. He was certain of her father's instant disapproval, especially considering his reputation and status as an ex-con. That, in and of itself, would have most fathers cringing in their seats. The Senator, Riddick knew, cared very little for Dani's happiness but that wouldn't stop him from pretending to be concerned for her well being. At least, he hoped, the man could make the attempt. Dani sighed, looking a little complative. "I really don't know. I honestly have no idea what that man is capable of anymore." Dani rose to her feet and stepped toward Riddick who had yet to move from the spot he'd been standing in. Placing her hands on his chest, Dani raised her eyes to his. "I don't care what my father says. I'm not gonna be his pawn anymore, something he can move around and use for his own purposes. I'm a grown woman and I'm damn well gonna do what I please, especially if it conscerns you. I…I don't wanna be anywhere you're not." A sudden feeling of pride welled up in Riddick's chest at Dani's words. Not pride in himself, but pride in her. She hadn't had all of the strength and confidence drilled out of her by her father's constant mettling. Dani wasn't going to live under her father's shadow any longer.

Riddick's hands laid gently on Dani's upper arms, rubbing softly over the thin fabric of the top she wore. His smile was fond as he watched the young woman come into her own, bravely defying her father, a man who used his power, influence and money to control everything around him. There were very few who would stand up to the likes of Senator Robert Kettler and even fewer still who'd lived to tell the tale; that is, if the rumors of his violent reactions to insubordination were to be believed. "Don't worry about a thing, Baby. I have a few things I'd like to discuss with your father anyway. Starting with the sad excuse for security in this place." Riddick's comment made Dani's brow furrow with a combination of confusion and conscern. The home in which she lived may have resembled the Palace of Versailles on Old Earth but it sported the most high tech security system money could buy. Not to mention a virtual army of Secret Service Agents between herself and her father. Dani's personal detail numbered twenty three agents who worked on a rotating schedule. She never had less than five Security Agents at any one time when not on the grounds of her own home. "You may have bested the motion sensors and the cameras but others have tried and failed. I assure you this place is perfectly safe." Dani commented, hoping Riddick wasn't going to make a big deal out of a relatively trivial thing.

A low growl ripped from Riddick's chest as he considered just how easily he had slipped passed the security of the compound. It had been ten times easier than he'd imagined, easier than escaping from slam. Riddick was very good at getting out of places others couldn't and, sometimes, just as good at getting in. Still, he'd expected better from the equipment and men protecting his woman. "I got across the grounds, climbed the wall and broke into your bedroom without any bells and whistles going off not to mention where the fuck were all your damned bodyguards!?" Riddick's anger was palpable although it wasn't leveled at Dani herself. A powerful feeling of protectivness had descended on Riddick since the first night they had spent together. Now that he had made his way back to Dani, that feeling had increased almost exponentially. How could he guard his mate against the dangers that lurked nearly everywhere if she was left so vulnerable? Dani's name was nearly as dangerous as his own. Just being who she was, Senator Kettler's daughter, had practically stamped a target on her large enough to be seen from orbit. Riddick had expected much better from the men protecting what was most precious to him and had come to the conscious decision that their services would no longer do. There was fierce indignation in Dani's eyes at Riddick's outburst, a reaction she couldn't seem to fathom. "What do you want? It's not like the agents can sit in my room all night and watch me sleep! I do need a little time to myself, Riddick. Believe it or not, they are all perfectly capable men and I'm perfectly capable myself." Dani retorted as she took two steps back from Riddick's imposing form. Silently, Dani reached behind her back and retrieved the concealed weapon that was strapped to her with a specialized holster.

Blinking rapidly with obvious shock, Riddick's eyes traveled from Dani's stern face toward the pistol she held in her hand. The soft glow of sunlight that filtered in through the windows glinted off the silver plated Browning 9mm pistol that sported a slightly iridescent pearl handle. Dani smirked at the stunned look on Riddick's face; clearly he hadn't expected her to be packing. "Relax, safety's on." Dani quipped as she returned the pistol from whence it came, carefully concealed behind her back. Riddick's expression quickly descended from dumbfounded to a look of angry disapproval. "You carry a gun?" He asked although the question seemed utterly rhetorical. What had terrified Dani so, that she felt the need to carry a weapon, especially one as impressive as the large pistol hidden at the small of her back? Dani stiffened at Riddick's inquiry, she was not about to play the scared little girl everyone expected her to be and especially not for him. "It was Jeremy's idea. The agents can't be with me every moment of every day. I told him I wanted to be able to defend myself, just in case. He got me the gun and trained me to use it. I'm probably a better shot than most of the men protecting me." Riddick's frown only seemed to have gotten bigger as he struggled with the idea of Dani taking it upon herself to defend her own life. Possibly with deadly consequences. He closed the distance between them, forcing back his protective nature that wanted to reprimand her into obeying him and staying as far out of harm's way as possible. Riddick placed his hands on either side of her face, he wanted Dani to see just how deep his conscern for her went. "Dani…I DO NOT want you taking unnecessary risks with your life. I'm glad you can protect yourself but that's not your job anymore. I'm the one who should be protecting you, the only one. You're my woman, mine to safeguard. If anything happened to you and I couldn't do anything it would kill me inside." There was a certain sincerity and tenderness in his voice as Riddick sealed his promise with a gentle kiss. Dani smiled gently at him, seeing the desperate fear reflected in his silver orbs. Fear of loosing her, fear that she might come to harm. "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard but you can't be with me every moment of every day either; and you certainly can't do the work of five men. Not only that but I won't have you take a bullet for me." As Dani spoke her voice cracked slightly, tears welling in her eyes. The idea of Riddick on the receiving end of a bullet meant for her and possibly dying to save her life was more than she could bear. "I won't have you die for me."

Sobs wracked Dani's body as Riddick pulled her toward his chest and held her close. He rubbed her back gently as he felt her shuttering against him. "Shhhh. It's okay, Baby. Nothin's gonna happen to me. I'm notoriously hard to kill." Riddick had hoped to ease Dani's fears with that admission although he was slightly taken aback by her sudden fear for his own safety. The stunning realization that Dani's anxiety for Riddick's own welfare may have been derived from deep and abiding emotions didn't unsettle him as he thought it should have. It actually warmed Riddick a little to think that Dani may love him even though he, himself wasn't sure he was capable of the emotion. He couldn't deny, however, that he felt a strong attatchment to the young woman that went beyond his desires for her. Riddick gently released Dani, holding her at arm's length and looking down on her with his mercury eyes. His thumb gently brushed away the last traces of tears that lingered on her cheeks. "I'm gonna go have a nice little chat with Daddy Dearest, okay? You still gonna be here when I get back?" Riddick inquired, fearing that she may have to leave before his conversation with her father came to a close. He didn't want her to go anywhere he couldn't follow. Dani only nodded, she had a few hours before her first class and the University itself was only a twenty minute drive away. Riddick offered Dani a gentle smile as he bent down and let his lips lightly touch her own. Dressing quickly, Riddick mentally prepared himself to deal with the Senator.

Senator Kettler's office was beautifully and lavishly decorated with a massive desk that exhibited a dark cherry finish that reflected the bright sunlight that filtered in through the floor to ceiling windows. Riddick was glad he'd remembered his goggles to offer him some relief in the brightly lit room. The Senator seated himself behind the desk in a leather chair that nearly matched the desk to a "T" and groaned softly as the Senator shifted his weight. He wasn't a large man as Riddick had expected, creating images of a fat, bloated politician with a bad comb over and a cigar sticking out of his mouth. Instead, Senator Kettler displayed only the slightest indication of a pot belly beneath his well tailored suit that probably cost more than the ship Riddick had purchased to come to Orridon Prime. His chest was broad and there were some signs that he must have some musculature although it was nothing compared to Riddick's own physique. His hair was cropped short but still covered his entire head that bore a pair of steel grey eyes, a proportionate nose set in a face that had only the slightest trace of wrinkles. All in all, Senator Kettler was a man who clearly took very good care of himself. _If only he lavished that kind of treatment on Dani._ Riddick mused to himself as he waited for an irritatingly long time for the Senator to acknowledge his presence.

Kept waiting for nearly twenty minutes while the Senator carried on a sickeningly phony conversation over the small vid phone on his desk, Riddick was growing increasingly irritated. He'd left his shiv hidden beneath the mattress in Dani's bedroom, figuring he'd be searched before entering the man's office. Of course, he had figured correctly. Now, Riddick suddenly wished he'd brought the thing. His silver gaze focused on the letter opener that lay on the man's desk, shaped distinctly like an ornate dagger. Absently, Riddick wondered if he could reach it quickly enough to place it against the Senator's throat. Riddick was drawn out of the pleasant fantasy as Senator Kettler ended the phone conversation and turned his disapproving gaze toward him. "So, you're the man my daughter has been having her little fling with? Hmmmm….I think it's a little late for teenage rebellion but, then again, Danielle was always a little immature." The Senator settled back in his chair, his hands folded across his abdomen as the seat squeaked softly. It was all Riddick could do not to launch himself over the desk, pick up the letter opener and use it to open the Senator's bloated gut. He stilled himself and pushed the thought away, however pleasant it may have been, as he considered the pardon and everthing Dani must have gone through to obtain it. If Riddick did anything to put his new freedom in jeopardy it would ruin any chance he might have had to keep Dani in his life. "Last time I checked, Dani's twenty three years old. That makes her a grown woman and she can do anything she wants. As long as she wants me I intend to be with her; unless, of course, there's a law against that." Riddick offered the sarcastic shot toward Senator Kettler whose face remained impassive.

Chillingly, a broad smile stretched across the Senator's face, making the man seem more unsettling than before. Riddick was used to being able to inspire fear in people; in fact, he usually enjoyed it. Now, faced with a man who essentially had no reason to fear the ex-convict, Riddick felt he was at a major disadvantage. Senator Kettler was a man used to getting what he wanted and making people do as he said. He was not someone who was easily intimidated. The Senator kept his grey eyes fixed on Riddick, a sense of stark overconfidence stemming off of him like a thrum of energy. "I know everything there is to know about you, Mr. Riddick. Everything from the time you spent with the Company to your years, and many escapes from, various slams across the Universe. I know you're a man of many skills, mostly involving bringing death to others. Had you come to me under different circumstances, I might have made use of your talents. Sadly, these aren't different circumstances." The senator paused in his thoughts, watching as Riddick's face morphed from simple placidity to one of intense anger. Kettler had always prided himself in his ability to use information as a hefty weapon. Once again, it had paid off. Seeking to enrage the convict further, the Senator continued. "I am also fully aware of how and where you and my daughter met. Madame Yasmine is a long time friend of mine and was more than eager to inform me of my daughter's presence in her….establishment. She was also kind enough to tell me the name of the man who had taken my daughter to his bed. That was all I needed to know, the rest of the story of your sordid life was easy enough information to procure." Riddick listened intently as his blood boiled with seething anger at the betrayal of not only the Senator himself but Madame Yasmine as well. _Wonder if it's worth my freedom to go back and keep those promises I made to the crusty old bitch?_ Riddick considered as he thought back on how freely Yasmine had handed over Dani's file. It hadn't mattered anyway, the woman had already done enough damage. Riddick suddenly regretted letting the woman live.

Riddick wasn't about to let this bloated fool play games with his life or Dani's. She deserved far better than this. _No wonder she hates this man._ Riddick mused. Not willing to be intimidated by the Senator, Riddick made his own argument. "Yeah, that's right. Dani paid a shit load of YOUR money for my services and, trust me, she got more than her money's worth. Guess what else? For twelve hours she was happy, probably for the first time in the miserable existence you've made for her. I treated Dani with more respect and dignity for a few incredible hours than you have in her entire life. I, a convicted killer of hundreds of individuals, treated your little girl like a princess. I gave her what she deserves." Riddick's thunderous voice filled the massive office, echoing between the high walls and vaulted ceilings. For the briefest of moments, Riddick had seen a glimmer of wrath in the Senator's grey eyes. He'd finally gotten to the untouchable, power-hungry, rich bastard. The satisfaction of it tasted like a piece of sweet, ripe fruit on Riddick's tongue. With his new sense of assertiveness, Riddick wasn't about to stop there. "You know what, _SENATOR,_ in case you haven't noticed Dani is a big girl now and she'll be making her own decisions from now on. You don't run her life anymore; and another thing, I'll be protecting your little girl from now on, not the twenty three Stooges. I'm better than any ten of them put together anyway." Riddick's smug expression as he laid down the law for the Senator faded slightly as the politician didn't seem the least bit fazed by his demands. The Senator continued to lounge comfortably in his leather chair, unperturbed by Riddick assertions.

Shifting forward, Senator Kettler allowed himself to lean against the desk, his hands clasped tightly together as if in prayer. It was doubtful that the man even believed in God, after all he thought he was one. The Senator seemed to weigh Riddick with his eyes and, apparently, found him wanting. "I don't care what you and my daughter do together. I don't even care about your reputation or your past. What's done is done." The Senator began and Riddick, shockingly, believed he may have won the crooked, old politician over. That thought was instantly dashed to the ground as the Senator spoke again. "All you need to know, Mr. Riddick, is that when all is said and done she doesn't belong to you. You will relinquish any claim you feel you have on her so that she might have a chance at a proper marriage to a more….fitting individual. If you agree to these terms, when the time comes for you to take your leave I will pay you a substantial amount of money. You could leave here a very rich man." The senator's broad grin was enough to make Riddick rethink his idea about using the letter opener for something other than mail. The man truly was a complete dick. Riddick licked his lips briefly as he considered the Senator's offer. "A rich man, huh? How rich we talkin'?" Riddick inquired, curious how much money the Senator was willing to part with. Senator Kettler looked pensive for a moment as he stared down at his clasped hands, his thumbs moving up and down as he thought. "How does five hundred million credits sound?" Riddick quirked a brow at the offer let out a low whistle at the sound of more money than he'd personally seen in his lifetime. He was actually a little curious if the Senator would willingly pay out. "Hmmmm…" Riddick hummed, seeming pensive as he idly scratched at his chin although the only real thought on his mind was how badly he needed to shave. Riddick glanced up at the Senator who looked like he was salivating as he awaited Riddick's answer. "Well, that's good to know. I'll be sure to tell Dani how much she's worth to you." Having enough of the Pompous Windbag's attitude as well as the fact that he'd actually tried to buy him off, Riddick turned abruptly and made his way toward the ornately decorated door. "Have it your way, Mr. Riddick, this offer won't last forever. I'll let you think about it; and, by the way, the security detail that has been guarding Danielle will continue as usual."

Riddick abruptly spun around to face the Senator, his eyes burning with fury behind his goggles. Was the man completely stupid or just that conceited? Riddick's goggled eyes narrowed on the steel gaze of Senator Kettler and he desperately wished he could carve that smug look off of the man's Botox riddled face. Riddick held at bay the growl that clawed at his chest, not wanting to give the Senator any more fuel to use against him. He was not about to let the Senator prevent him from ensuring Dani's safety. That, above all else, was paramount. Riddick sealed his anger behind a thick wall of passivity that he constructed as easily as one might blink their eye. "So, you wanna let the men who allowed and ex-convict to break into your daughter's room keep protecting her? Wow, that's the dumbest shit I've ever heard! Your motion sensors aren't for shit, your cameras can suck my dick and why isn't there a fucking alarm on the God damn window?!" Riddick glared darkly at the Senator through his goggles as he placed his balled up fists on the desk and leaned over, ensuring he would get his point across crystal clear. "I'm probably the most dangerous thing within a five hundred mile radius of this place. I'm as silent as death, I've made the dark my own and I kill as easily as you breathe. You couldn't buy better protection if you spent your last credit on it; and unlike those other assholes, I have Dani's best interest in mind." Raising himself off of the desk, Riddick watched and waited to see if the Senator even had the smallest modicum of sense in his perfectly manicured head. Senator Kettler, as usual, remained smug despite the threatening beast of a man who stood across the desk from him. As far as he was concerned, Riddick was little more than the sum of his criminal and psychiatric profile; an animal in human skin that, although intelligent, hadn't been able to evolve beyond his murderous tendancies. The Senator knew exactly what should be done with the likes of Riddick but decided he'd let the game play out a little longer. "That's where you're wrong, Mr. Riddick. I'm afraid that your….personal involvement…with my daughter may prevent you from thinking rationally should she ever be in real danger. Your affection, or whatever it is, may be Danielle's downfall. Could you honestly tell me you'd be willing to die for her? The very Richard Riddick who, and I quote, _Has shown signs of sociopathic behavior, innate egotism, complete disregard for others, in addition to being incapable of living as a functional member of society._ " The Senator glanced up from the page of the file he'd been reading in the small screen imbeded in his desk. "I love that last part, don't you?" He asked sarcastically.

Fully aware that the man intended for him to fly at him in a fit of rage by prodding him with quotes from his personal psychiatric profile, Riddick stiffly stood his ground. If this was the game the Senator was going to play, Riddick would gladly join the other team. Watching the overconfident smile widen across the Senator's ruggedly handsome face, Riddick slowly turned on his heel. He would give this preening prick just a few more moments to think he had the upper hand. Riddick strode toward the door in long strides, giving the illusion of being bested by the cocky politician. His large hand clasped the brass handle of the door and slowly clicked it open, wondering if the Senator would try to throw a last jibe at him while he stepped out of the room. Riddick was relieved when the man remained silent, the temperature was far too stifling in the room from all the hot air that oozed from his mouth. Riddick paused as his foot made contact with the threshold. Turning slowly, Riddick responded to the Senator's question. "Dani's worth a million of you. Yes, I'd die for her." Smirking at having gotten in the last word, Riddick passed through the door, slamming it shut behind him and leaving the Senator to stew over his last words.

Riddick could barely contain the intense rage that boiled in his veins. Senator Kettler was probably the most insufferable man in the entire universe. _No wonder he gets shot at all the time._ Riddick mused as the pleasant thought of the Sentor's chest blown wide open as a bullet passed through it. So engaged in his own thoughts, Riddick hadn't noticed the tall gentleman in a black suit who leaned casually against the wall of the long hallway. "You must be Riddick." The older gentlman, who appeared to be in his mid to late forties, stated casually although his face remained completely serious. He wore a simple black suit, a pair of well scuffed shoes and a distinguishing ear piece in his ear. "Where's Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber?" Riddick inquired of the two men who had escorted him down the labyrinthine hallways of the enormous manor to the office of Senator Kettler. The agent smirked at Riddick's terms for the two younger agents who had been asigned to escort him. "Sent them on break. Figured you weren't gonna kill anybody anytime soon so you didn't need babysitters." The older agent mentioned calmly as he pushed himself away from the wall. The two men sized one another up as if they were a pair of alpha wolves defending their territory. It wasn't hard to see that the agent was a man who'd seen battle or at least been well trained. Distinct outlines of firm muscles could be seen just below the white shirt he wore and he moved with a fluid motion that Riddick instantly interpreted as ex-military. Riddick had spent some of his early years as a Company soldier and learned quickly to distinguish proper training from, well, everything else. The agent held his hand out to Riddick, a gesture he wasn't completely familiar with. "I'm Jeremy, the head of Dani's Secret Service Detail." The name struck an instant chord with Riddick who recalled Dani having mentioned him, somewhat fondly in fact.

Confident that the agent meant him no harm, Riddick took the man's hand and shook it with a firm grip. Riddick sensed no deception in the man who returned the handshake with a firm grip of his own before pulling the appendage away. Jeremy fell into step beside Riddick, who carefully watched the presumably armed man through his dark goggles. "Thought you said I didn't need a babysitter?" Riddick stated calmly as he tried to put his conversation with Dani's father as far from his mind as possible. Jeremy smirked in a decidedly pleasant manner. "Not a babysitter, just a guide. This place is too damn big for it's own good." Jeremy's laughter echoed in the immense hallway, bouncing between the walls like a rubber ball. Riddick found the sound infectious and offered his own soft chuckle. It was true, the manor was far too immense for, essentially, two people. It seemed to appeal to Dani, however, who had preferred her private apartments to be as far away from her father as possible. It was the closest thing, one might imagine, to living on her own. Silence descended between the men as the continued making their way back toward Dani's own portion of the mansion. "Dani speaks very highly of you." Jeremy mentioned casually, breaking the silence. Riddick couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face, unsure if it stemmed from the comment or the mere mention of the young woman's name. "Well, it's nice to be thought of in a positive light for a change." Riddick stated, wondering if he was going to like where the conversation was going. They had walked only a few more steps before Jeremy halted and stepped in front of Riddick, standing less than a foot from the ex-con. "Listen…." Jeremy began, his voice kept soft to avoid the prying ears of the wait staff and other agents. "I don't care who you are or what you've done. Dani's happy for the first time in her life since her mother left and, honestly, that's all that matters. Between you and me, I was gettin' sick and tired of all those preening pricks that her father insisted on pairing her with. Not a single one of them had HER best interest in mind. If it takes an ex-convict to make her happy, far be it from me to stand in the way of that. Dani's happiness is all that matters."

The deep respect that Jeremy seemed to have for Riddick struck him almost dumb. It had been such a long time since anyone had seen passed his transgressions and simply found the man beneath them, the man who had often been forced to commit acts of murder because the Universe simply wouldn't leave him the hell alone. All Riddick had ever craved or desired was to simply be left to his own devices and given some small amount of peace. Unfortunately, greedy mercs and wanna-be badasses simply hadn't gotten that memo. Riddick would like to think he was gaining an ally in the war against her father and had, perhaps, found the one other human being in this fucked up place that actually cared about Dani's well being. "I just want what's best for Dani." Riddick began. "I wanna know she'll be safe….protected. I've already lost everyone I've ever bothered to care about, if anything happened to Dani the man you see before you wouldn't exist anymore. I've done a lotta things I ain't proud of, most of 'em would make your stomach turn. If I've made Dani happy and kept her safe, then I'm pretty sure it makes up for some of that. I fucked up my life and now she's given me the chance at a clean slate; and I ain't just talkin' about the pardon either." Jeremy let a slight smile play across his lips as Riddick beared a little bit of his soul. It wasn't hard to see the influence Dani had on the once hardened man. "That's all I needed to hear." Jeremy stated confidentally as he stepped aside and continued guiding Riddick back to Dani's private apartments.

 **Chapter Seven: Black Tie Affair**

Orridon University stretched over miles of perfectly manicured grounds dotted with educational buildings, dorms, two immense libraries and a vast auditorium that held theatrical shows as well as concerts. Riddick watched the three story brown building before him from his vantage point beside a tree that was nearly as wide as three of him put side by side. Although he stood beneath the wide canopy of branches that the tree held aloft, Riddick kept his goggles firmly in place to block out the bright sunlight. "3...2...1..." Riddick mumbled to himself as he watched the door swing open wide as Dani stepped out of the building and trotted down the steps. "Right on time." He stated as he breathed a sigh of relief now that she was in his field of vision. Riddick had taken to following Dani closely when she was on school grounds, watching the surroundings and the people in it intently for any sign of possible danger. She had retained her usual retenue of Secret Service but Riddick felt much better with his own eyes on her. Slipping out from his hiding spot, Riddick reached out a hand and pulled Dani toward the tree, pinning her against it. "Dammit, Riddick!" Dani shouted, trying desperately to calm the hammering of her heart from his sudden appearance even as her entire body flushed at his close proximity. "You really have to stop following me around like this. It's a little undignified." She asserted with feigned indignation. Riddick offered her a wry grin as he watched Dani come apart in front of him. He always found her quick and fiery temper irresistible. Leaning in casually, Riddick kissed the juncture of her neck and shoulder as Dani melted, the last of her anger drifting away at his touch. "Just making sure my girl is safe and sound. You know I don't trust those bozos." Riddick rumbled, pulling himself away from her neck before he gave the entire campus a show. Dani sighed, secretly delighted by Riddick's protective behavior. She had never told him but it had always made her feel special. "Yeah, so you keep telling me." Dani responded in an attempt to sound annoyed by his constant hovering.

The ride back to the mansion, although short, was spent in utter silence. Dani made no mention, as she usually did, of any subject of particular interest that her professors had discussed nor did she even attempt any form of small talk. Riddick was practically drowning in the quiet of the limo as his hand softly slid over her own. "Somethin's wrong. Spill it." His tone was casual, almost demanding but there was still an undeniable trace of tenderness especially in the way he caressed her hand. Dani sighed, attempting a smile to hide the apprehension that ate away at her. "Tomorrow night is my father's annual Stardust Gala. It's really just an excuse for him to shmooze with the suck ups and brown nosers. I'm just trying to put on my game face." Knowing her father as he did, Riddick understood Dani's disinterest in attending the Gala. He was assured in his own mind that the Senator would put on a show of affection toward Dani for the benefit of his guests and, frankly, the idea sickened him. Riddick could barely understand how any man could show such contempt for their own child, especially in regard to the coldness the Senator had displayed toward Dani. "Don't worry about it. I'll be right there with you. You know I ain't gonna let you outta my sight for more than a second." Riddick smiled as he spoke, leaning in and kissing her softly. Dani felt as though a thousand pound weight had lifted off of her shoulders as Riddick's lips touched hers. It still amazed her after the three weeks he'd spent with her since his sudden arrival that Riddick could make any small amount of pain she felt simply melt away. Whatever this power Riddick had over her, Dani wasn't sure she could bring herself to hate it. "You know, you're not gonna get passed the front door dressed like that. Might scare the richy riches." Dani mused, giggling a little as she imagined the looks on the faces of the elite of Orridon Prime as Riddick walked in dressed only in a tank top and cargo pants.

The cold weight of the diamond neclace was almost enough to make her gasp as Dani clasped it behind her neck. She sat at her vanity, staring at her own reflection that was so dramatically different than her usual appearance. Her long, brown hair fell in loose curls passed the small of her back, the foremost layers held aloft by two hair combs studded with diamonds. A pair of teardrop shaped diamond earings glittered in the dim light of her room matching the radiance of the neclace that rested cool and heavy against her throat. Dani sighed, the sound much louder than expected in the empty room. Riddick had disappeared hours ago and she could only hope he hadn't gotten suckered into another game of poker with Jeremy or, worse yet, a game of who can drink the most scotch and still remain standing. The last time, Dani had twisted her ankle attempting to haul Riddick's drunken bulk to the bed before he'd finally passed out. Absently, she wondered if Jeremy had fared any better. The door to the living quarters of Dani's private set of rooms opened and closed with a soft thud. Dani rose up from the stool and subconsciously smoothed away the invisible wrinkles of her dress. For the first time in weeks, she felt a little self conscious. Riddick appeared through the doorway to her bedroom a significantly changed man. He was dressed in a in a black tuxedo that he seemed intent on fidgeting at. After deciding that the sleeves of the jacket were just going to have to annoy him for the rest of the evening, Riddick glanced up at the sound of shifting fabric.

His jaw nearly dropped to his knees at the sight of Dani in her floor length red gown that fit her curvy figure deliciously. The simple, elegant dress shimmered lightly in the soft illumination of the bedroom almost making it seem that Dani had bathed in diamonds. Riddick was not disappointed as he noted the spaghetti straps holding the softly descending neckline that revealed only a trace amount of cleavage. Riddick was captivated as he watched the young woman glide toward him as if she were an ethereal being. Finding the will to speak, only one word tumbled from his lips. "Beautiful." It was nearly a breathless whisper, much the same way he'd spoken when they met and Dani revealed her naked body to him for the first time. With her face nearly matching her dress, Dani offered her own compliment. "You're not so bad yourself. You clean up nicely." The playful tone in her voice did little to hide exactly how appreciative she was with Riddick's transformation. He bore a heart stopping grin as Dani's eyes raked over him practically undressing him where he stood. "Jeremy let me borrow it. Said it was from his wedding; didn't even know he was married." Riddick stated casually before Dani wondered where he'd gotten a tux from. Dani seemed slightly sad for a moment. "Yeah, he was. It was years ago. They'd only been married four years when she passed away. He doesn't like to talk about it." Riddick shared her look of melancholy for a moment as he nodded curtly. Riddick knew all too well what it was like to loose someone and felt no need to mar the evening with sadness.

Reaching up slowly, Dani straightened the tie that had become Riddick's newest source of irritation. She felt his hands on her waist drawing her closer until his lips crushed over hers. Dani pulled back reluctantly, chiding his boldness. "Can you wait until after the party to rip my dress off?" She said as she offered him a heart stopping grin. Riddick chuckled, sending a vibration through his chest that Dani felt in her own. "If I have to, although I think this one looks much better in one piece." Riddick mentioned casually as his hands stroked her sides sending wonderful shivers of pleasure through her body. Dani stifled a moan as she felt Riddick's hands slide along toward her back, rubbing in a gentle fashion. "You probably should stop before I ruin Jeremy's tux." Dani purred softly, her golden eyes shimmering with desire as they met Riddick's mercury orbs. He smiled wickedly and released her, relishing a final touch of the soft, gauzy fabric that was barely a barrier over Dani's flesh.

The Grand Ballroom of the estate glowed with soft, golden light that was a welcome relief to Riddick's sensitive eyes. Unfortunately the constant murmur of the crowd was a bit too distracting and left an irritating hum in his ears. Riddick's eyes carefully scanned the room, never letting Dani out of his sight for more than a few moments. Not that he minded all that much. The mellow radiance of the room left the slightest trace of golden illumination on Dani's pale skin making her seem to glow of her own accord. He watched from a distance as she moved about the room, practically floating as her gown fluttered behind her. The glimmering iridescence of her dress gave Dani the appearance of an otherworldly being and Riddick considered the fairy creatures of Earth legend that he had seen images of in one of her mythology texts. Riddick smiled as he watched Dani play the roll her father expected her to play with expert precision. Her false enthusiasm and feigned smiles almost made him want to laugh out loud. If Dani ever wanted to change her college major to acting she would excel at it. Her golden eyes met Riddick's briefly and he watched as her simulated smile broadened into a fantastic grin meant only for him. A sudden sensation of warmth spread through him and Riddick found he couldn't bring himself to hate it. In the short time he'd known her, Dani could always make his chest bloom with intense excitement that had little to do with passion. Above all, she made him feel human again.

His eyes were fixed on her as Dani made her way across the crowded room toward Riddick's darkened corner he'd chosen for the shear fact that it allowed a virtually unobstructed view of the room. Passing a tray of champagne glasses, Dani grasped two of the flutes and strode toward her guardian in the dark offering one to Riddick. Eagerly he downed the entire glass in one gulp, having imbibed nothing in the time since they arrived at the Gala. Riddick preferred to keep a clear head in order to more effectively watch for any danger that might be lurking amongst the party goers. With so many people filling the large room, it would be fairly easy for someone to infiltrate the crowd with murderous intent. "Wanna get outta here?" Riddick quipped as he watched Dani's distant and bored demeanor. She smirked playfully at the tempting offer. "You have no idea." Riddick's eyes made another scan of the room, an act that had become completely ingrained in his subconscious; the urge to protect Dani foremost in his thoughts. Secret Service agents had been spread along the outside of the room, each keeping their vigil like well tailored sentinels. One of the men placed his hand against his earpiece, watching the Senator intently as he passed. Senator Kettler's booming laughter filled the room, almost drowning out the rest of the din. The man was clearly enjoying having so many of Orridon Prime's elite hanging on his every word as if it were the cure to a flesh eating virus they were all suffering from. If only the number of the Senator's "friends" outnumbered his enemies. During Senator Kettler's distinguished twenty-five year career in politics he had managed to make more adversaries than even Riddick himself. Not only that, but the man actually seemed proud of it.

A man dressed in the white tuxedo uniform of the wait staff passed Riddick and Dani carrying a tray laden with wine glasses as he made his way about the room. His cool, darting eyes and slightly fidgety mannerisms caught Riddick's attention instantly. What worried him more was the faint smell of gun oil that Riddick had caught as the man passed. A sudden commotion at the far side of the ballroom drew Riddick's attention as a few of the party goers, heavy in their drink, laughed riotously at their companion who had fallen over in a drunken stupor. An instinctual feeling of dread settled on Riddick's chest as he grasped Dani's wrist and drew her behind him, keeping her protectively in the corner. "Riddick, what….?" Dani began just as the suspicious looking waiter dropped his tray with a clatter and drew a pistol from somewhere behind him. The waiter shouted something that was drowned out by the panicked screams of the crowd; the only word Riddick could discern had been "Revolution!" just before the man opened fire in the air with his semi-automatic weapon. Riddick spun around as if it had been a pre-programmed reaction and fell against Dani, pinning her body to the floor to protect her from the ricocheting bullets. He could feel her clutching him tightly, sobbing into his shoulder as the bullets emanated from the crazed man's gun. Dani shuttered as the eerie popping sound of the gun's discharge continued for what felt, in her terror riddled mind, like an eternity.

Glancing over his shoulder, Riddick watched as several of the agents tackled the senator to the ground, protecting him from the deadly projectiles as three others opened fire on the unlucky man. The assailant's pristine white uniform bloomed with red as his body was riddled with nearly a dozen well placed shots that felled him instantly. There was a momentary respite in the action, only a matter of seconds, before a second individual in an identical uniform pulled his own weapon and opened fire on the agents. Chaos surrounded Riddick as he clamored to his feet, gathering Dani into his arms and carrying her hastily toward the nearest exit. Kicking the ornately decorated door open, Riddick nearly collided with Jeremy who had been rushing toward the ballroom in a fevered panic at the sound of the gunfire. "Take her!" Riddick growled commandingly, thrusting Dani into Jeremy's arms as he turned back toward the door. "Where the hell are you going?!" Jeremy shouted toward Riddick's back, prompting him to glance over his shoulder at the man who now had his mate's life in his hands. "I'm gonna go back in there and find that fucker! If your men haven't killed him yet." Riddick answered, stepping quickly back toward the door that still hung ajar. Riddick paused, turning slightly toward Jeremy. "He better be full of bullets. If I get my hands on him there won't be enough pieces left to fill one of those fancy wine glasses." Riddick snarled, already inventing a gruesome end for the remaining individual who had put Dani's life in danger. Jeremy could only watch Riddick disappear as he cradled the traumatized girl in his arms.

The lights were dim in Dani's bedroom when Riddick returned nearly two hours later. He had to pause outside the door and calm his rage before entering the room. Dani needed his support, not his anger. The door opened with a soft groan that sounded deafening in the utterly silent room. Jeremy sat beside Dani who apparently slumbered although still in her dress. Standing suddenly as Riddick entered, Jeremy released the comforting grip he had on Dani's hand. Even in sleep, she seemed reluctant to let him go. "What happened?" Jeremy asked, wondering if Riddick had made good on his promise to dismember the interloper, not that it wouldn't have been a fitting end to the man. "He was already dead when I went back. I searched the body and found this on him. No idea what it is." Riddick stated, forcibly holding back his disgust at not getting the chance to carve the thug into tiny pieces. He handed Jeremy something that resembled an index card with an artistically crafted picture of an orange and black lion. Recognition flickered in Jeremy's eyes as he studied the image, sighing in agitation. "It's the Pride of Meniesis. They're a resistance group out of Meniesis Regami. One of two planets in this system that are locked in a concentric orbit together around our sun. They're both highly industrialized and complete shitholes. Senator Kettler has had issues with this group for nearly a decade. They've never tried anything this brash or dangerous before, though." Jeremy admitted, finding the information only seemed to anger Riddick further. Something inside of Riddick wanted to seek out the Senator and throttle him for putting Dani in such danger but he realized just what a pointless endeavor that would be. Not only that but his life had been in danger too. It was quite possible that the two men had come to murder the Senator and Dani had simply been in their vicinity. As pleasant as the thought of Senator Kettler's death had been, the idea that his woman had been in danger because of the man's keen ability to make enemies only seemed to enrage Riddick further.

A sudden bout of weary frustration descended on Riddick as he slowly made his way toward the bed and seated himself beside Dani who still dozed fitfully. The feeling of his weight on the mattress and his calloused hand stroking her long, mahogany locks slowly brought her out of her stress induced slumber. "Riddick…" She whispered softly, sounding as if she would begin sobbing at any moment. Sighing discontentedly at the pained sound of her voice, Riddick answered softly: "Yeah, it's me, Angel. You doin' okay?" Dani's eyes fluttered open, dried tears sticking her dark lashes together slightly as she pushed herself up on her arms. The look of intense worry on Riddick's face combined with the intensity of her terrifying ordeal sent a flood of renewed tears to Dani's eyes. She flung her arms around his neck, clasping tightly onto Riddick as if and errant breeze might waft in through the window and blow him away. "You left me." Dani sobbed into his shoulder, her tears making a dark patch on the jacket of the tuxedo. "I was so scared you'd get shot. I - I heard them shooting and you were gone so long. I was so afraid…" Dani's heart wrenching sobs and her words of concern for his own well being despite the fact that she had been the one in grave danger nearly tore the heart out of Riddick's chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around her as he gently stroked her back in a soothing pattern, cooing gently as his cheek rested against the top of her head. "Shhhhh….It's okay, Sweetheart. Nothin' happened to me, see? I was scared for you, is all. Told you I'd protect you. Never gonna let anything like that happen ever again." He felt Dani relax in his arms, although much of it was probably due to extreme exhaustion. The last of her sobs abated and her body had finally stilled against him, no longer trembling from fear and anguish.

Beginning to feel like a third wheel in the room, Jeremy slowly made his way toward the door. If he'd ever had a doubt about Riddick's affection for his charge it had all completely vanished as he watched the tender way the ex-convict held Dani in his arms. The selfless way Riddick had protected the young woman Jeremy was so fond of dispelled any illusions he might have had about the man. Jeremy had taken time to familiarize himself with the myriad piles of information about Riddick's past available to anyone who knew where to look or had any kind of hacking skills. The monster the legal system had portrayed Riddick to be was a stark contrast to the man who sat on the bed cradling a scared young woman in his arms. Even if Riddick had denied it, there was no doubt in Jeremy's eyes how much the ex-convict loved her and how readily he would be willing to sacrifice his own life for her. The sound of the door clicking open as Jeremy attempted a quiet exit caught Riddick's ears. He turned his bald head slightly, iridescent eyes glowing in the dimly lit room. "Find the rest of these fuckers for me." Riddick's voice was a menacing growl as he, no doubt, was formulating a plan to execute every last member of the Pride of Meniesis. Jeremy nodded curtly. "I'll see what I can do." He stated firmly, just as interested in locating any other dangerous members of the resistance group that may be lingering on Orridon Prime.

With the sound of the door closing, Riddick slowly eased himself off of the bed bringing Dani's weary body with him. "Come on, let's get you ready for bed." Riddick stated gently as he began removing the long gown without any of the lustful intentions that usually accompanied him undressing her. Right now Dani needed quiet tenderness considering the night's distressing events. Riddick, himself, had felt the noxious pang of fear as he had heard the popping sound of gunfire fill the Grand Ballroom. It hadn't been fear for himself but fear for Dani's life. Riddick wasn't sure if he'd ever felt the foreign emotion before but it had left him feeling drawn and slightly numb. Tonight he'd come achingly close to loosing the one thing he doubted he would be able to live without. Had and errant bullet struck Dani and taken her life, Riddick was sure whatever humanity was in him that she had been keeping alive would have died along with her. The long gown fell away from Dani's body as Riddick carefully removed the rest of the trappings of her ensemble. Pulling a long t-shirt over her head, Riddick laid her down gently, lifting her legs and pulling the covers over her body. Despite the unfamiliar layers that encompassed Riddick's own body, he made short work of the clothing before crawling in beside Dani and wrapping his arms around her in a protective embrace. He wasn't sure how long it would take sleep to find him as his mind raced with the night's events. Hopefully, Jeremy would come through soon and Riddick would be able to visit unheard of manners of pain on the members of the resistance group that had put his Dani in danger.

 **Chapter Eight: Gone**

The first few nights following the shooting in the Grand Ballroom found Riddick nursing Dani through a series of scream inducing nightmares. She felt like a useless frightened child as Riddick rocked her gently and spoke soft words to ease her terror riddled mind. After nearly a week of not attending any classes, Dani had decided that she had to get back to her old life if she had any chance of getting over the trauma of the still too recent shooting. Riddick understood her need for a return to normalcy, awed by her resilience and determination to not be controlled by her fear. Jeremy had increased Dani's protective detail from five agents to eight, trusting his men to keep a stronger vigil than usual in case any other members of the Pride of Meniesis decided to make a move. Riddick, as usual, kept his own watch as he prowled the grounds closest to the building Dani currently occupied. His eyes flitted constantly to the chrono on his wrist as he checked the time until he knew she would emerge again. Even his inner beast couldn't settle until Riddick laid eyes on her again. Riddick's goggled eyes scanned the immaculate grounds, grateful for the lack of obstructing vegetation that allowed him a unhampered view of the area.

The professor droned on for what seemed like an eternity as Dani distractedly tried to maintain something that seemed like full attention on the lecture. She had always liked school no matter how boring it might seem, the garnering of knowledge of far more interest to her than most people. Dani had thought that classes would be a welcome distraction but every subtle noise seemed to make her jump and her eyes kept darting about the room as if she expected another crazed gunman. Dani didn't hear the door open or close behind her as one of the agents calmly strode into the lecture hall, slowly making his way toward the seat in which Dani sat. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the agent, whom she instantly recognized as Peter, touched her shoulder. He bent over and whispered in her ear that it was urgent for her to leave because her father had been rushed to the hospital with a possible heart attack. It wasn't that Dani cared much about her father's condition but she knew there would be media involvement and she needed to keep the hyenas at bay. For the time being it looked as if she would have to be her father's voice until he recovered. Unless, of course, he didn't. Dani nodded and gathered her books quietly, trying to avoid disturbing anyone in the process especially the professor. Peter had insisted that they exit the hall through a side door that would lead to a small lot where, he claimed, the limo had been brought. Without any reason to distrust the young man she was surprisingly fond of, Dani followed him through the small side exit where Peter hurried her through the empty lot. Dani paused suddenly, and eerie feeling settling in her gut. "Where's Riddick?" She inquired, her eyes narrowing specutively on the young man. Peter seemed to exhibit a form of nervous agitation. "He took the other car back to the manor. We're gonna take you directly to the hospital." He explained as he urgently tugged her hand toward the rear of the lecture hall where he claimed the car was parked. Something was desperately wrong and Dani found herself resisting Peter's urgent tugging. Riddick wouldn't have left her side even for the briefest of moments. Not even the hand of God could have forced him to return to the manor without her.

Peter's hand gripped Dani's arm with almost bruising force. Foregoing her books and backpack, Dani struggled relentlessly in his grip as he forcibly hauled her toward a menacing looking black van instead of the usual limousine. With her suspicions realized, Dani reached behind her back for the Browning 9mm pistol that she continued to carry, carefully concealed at the small of her back. She drew out the weapon, her finger instantly flipping off the safety as she aimed the loaded and ready firearm toward Peter's head. "Let me go or I'll shower this whole lot with your brains!" The false agent froze for a moment, fear reflected in his hazel eyes. Unfortunately Dani was unaware of the hulking mass of man flesh that approached her from behind, wrenching her armed had back painfully as he wrested the gun from her grasp. Placing the weapon in his own belt, the giant of a man silently threw Dani's struggling form over his shoulder and unceremoniously deposited her into the back of the van before slamming the door shut. Once inside, Dani felt a sudden pinch in the side of her neck before her world went dark.

With his eyes darting between the chrono and the door, Riddick's agitation grew the later the hour became without sight of Dani. She was more than ten minutes late and he had grown tired of waiting. Something twisted in his gut; an aching, gnawing fear born of his animalistic instincts. Everything was not as it should be and Riddick knew, in the deepest recesses of his instinct driven mind, that Dani was in grave danger. The lecture hall was seemingly devoid of life, the seats empty of students that had occupied them only minutes before. A thin, gaunt looking man packed papers and books into an expensive looking black satchel, completely unaware of Riddick's presence. The professor was startled nearly into a heart attack when he glanced up to a pair of dark goggles on the face of a massive looking muscular man. "Danielle Kettler. Where is she?" Riddick inquired of the frightened man, trying not to seem too gruff despite the fact that his voice rumbled outward as a subtle growl. "She left about twenty minutes ago. One of those Service men came in and they were whispering for a few minutes. Must've been an emergency because they left through there." The professor pointed a stick thin arthritic looking finger toward the side exit prompting Riddick to dart in the direction the man indicated without even thanking him. The empty lot was devoid of life although several papers tumbled across it tossed by the wind. Following the white trail, Riddick discovered Dani's abandoned books and backpack indicating that wherever she had gone it wasn't by choice.

Riddick stormed through the halls of the mansion in a bout of intense rage that seemed to keep everyone save for Jeremy at a far distance from him. The entire household was abuzz with the news that Dani had been kidnapped. As expected, the only person who seemed unphased by the harrowing event was the Senator himself. His vid phone had been screaming with the demands by the resistance group known as the Pride of Meniesis and the Senator had been warding off the concerned agents as well as a few of his most trusted advisors. The unwelcome intrusion of the fuming ex-convict only seemed to make matters worse. "They fucking took her!" Riddick roared as his fists made thunderous contact with his pristine wooden desk. The Senator passively observed the muscular brute who hid his true anger behind his dark goggles. "I am doing what I can but I do not negotiate with terrorists!" Senator Kettler snapped, showing the first signs of emotion besides smug disinterest. "I have sent men to search for her. It hasn't been that long and I am certain they are still on the planet." The Senator's calm demeanor immediately returned making Riddick even that much more incensed. "Well, you're not doing enough! This is exactly the kind of thing I said would fucking happen! Your men can't protect shit!" Riddick unraveled his rage before the Senator who stood up so quickly he nearly knocked over his expensive desk chair. "I have everything well in hand, you'd do well to remember that!" Riddick was surprised to see such anger in the Senator's eyes, unfortunately it was leveled at him and not the men who had taken Dani. The longer they debated and argued, the less likely it became that Dani would be returned unharmed.

One of the agents pushed his way into the Senator's office passed the crowd that had grown outside his door. "This just arrived. It's addressed to you, sir." The agent explained as he placed the unassuming wooden box on the desk in front of the Senator. Slowly the Senator sat down in his leather chair which emitted a low groan as his weight descended on it. Much more calmly than one thought he should be, the Senator slid the top off of the wooden box and gazed in at the gruesome contents. His face was devoid of emotion as he tossed the box across the desk in Riddick's direction. It was all he could do not to scream as he beheld two slender fingers wrapped in a white handkerchief. Accompanying the digits was a note that promised more body parts would follow until their demands were met. With a trembling hand, Riddick picked up the box and cautiously sniffed it to see if any traces of Dani's scent still lingered. The box they had used must've been a cigar box, the strong aroma of the past contents had dulled any other scent that may have lingered. It was impossible to tell if they were Dani's fingers or not. Riddick dropped the box with a loud clatter, his blood boiling in his veins as any kind of rational thought fled his mind. Slowly, Riddick raised his bald head to regard the bloated pig on the other side of the desk. As if he could sense Riddick's threat, Senator Kettler said: "I told you. I don't negotiate with terrorists." The coldness Riddick sensed in the man was so overwhelming he could almost feel it in his bones. "I think your time here has come to an end. Clearly even the great Richard B. Riddick couldn't protect my daughter. She is no longer your concern." Senator Kettler's words burned Riddick's ears. As much as he hated to admit it, the man was right. Riddick was done with the whole fucked up world of Senator Robert Kettler. "Then pay me my money and I'll get outta your hair…. _SENATOR._ " He ground the final word out through clenched teeth, forcing himself not to reach across the desk and drag the man back over by his ugly and probably overpriced tie.

Riddick searched the room he'd shared with Dani for the past several weeks. Everything was as they had left it this morning, when they had both assumed they would be returning. The bedroom door was left ajar as Jeremy strode in, his face a mask of impassivity. "So, that's it? Senator Kettler makes you a very rich man and you abandon Dani the first chance you get. And to think she thought so highly of you." Jeremy's derisive tone grated on Riddick's ears but he allowed the man to speak his piece. Assured that he'd left nothing behind, Riddick let his hand drift over the pocket that contained five hundred million credits and turned a baleful gaze toward the man he might've considered a friend. Wordlessly, Riddick brushed passed Jeremy who made no move to stop him. Pausing in the doorway, Riddick turned his goggled eyes toward the head of Dani's Secret Service Detail. "You comin' or not?" Riddick grumbled, unsure if he should still his anger over Dani's current predicament or use it against her captors. Jeremy's brow furrowed quizzically. Did Riddick actually expect him to abandon Dani too? "Where are you going?" Jeremy allowed the question to fall from his lips although he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Riddick smirked suddenly, a stark difference compared to his previous violent looking demeanor. "To get my woman back." Jeremy needed no further invitation as he realized that, once more, Riddick had managed to surprise him.

There was nothing but darkness and fear as Dani was manhandled roughly by her captors whom she had yet to even see. The sedative they had given her previously had worn off much more quickly than she thought it would but when she awoke Dani found that she was bound and gagged with a blindfold over her eyes. The only senses she could rely on were hearing and smell as the men had denied her the other three. Dani was not a person one could consider stupid by any means. She allowed herself to be dragged forcibly until her body collided with what she perceived to be a hard, metal floor. Deductive reasoning told her that she was no longer on her home planet and most likely had boarded what must have been a very large vessel. She patiently listened to the voices of her captors, learning each one in turn and committing it to memory. Dani could only assume there were at least eighteen individuals on the ship with her. Dani lay curled up on the cold metal floor feeling a subtle vibration beneath her as well as the distinct smell of warm electronics. Considering this new information, Dani assumed that she was being held directly above either the engines of the ship or an electrical control room. A low hum surrounded her but Dani was unable to pinpoint the exact origin of the unusual noise.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught Dani's attention but she feigned and unconscious state hoping whoever it was would simply go away and leave her alone. Absently, Dani's mind drifted to Riddick and she wondered if he was currently searching for her in a state of panicked rage. With hope blooming in her heart, she let her imagination invent the kinds of things Riddick was going to do to these men once he caught up with them. It wasn't the prettiest musing she'd ever had but at the moment Dani found it brutally entertaining. A pair of strong hands lifted Dani and she breathed a sigh of relief as her blindfold and gag were finally removed. Experimentally she moved her mouth a little to relieve the stiffness that had begun to set in. Before her a tall, slightly lanky gentleman stood; his eyes scrutinizing every inch of her as if she were some sort of insect that had crawled across his path. The man wasn't muscular by any means but bore slight definition that could be discerned beneath the threadbare shirt he wore. He had messy brown hair that fell to his shoulders in chocolate colored waves as well as a pair of soulful brown eyes. His cheekbones were prominent on his tanned face and tapered down his slender features toward a narrow but rounded chin. If it weren't for the fact that the man had kidnapped her, Dani might have thought the man looked kind.

The man's expression remained unchanged as he and Dani continued to stare at one another. Part of her was eyeing the doorway beyond and wondering if it would be worth it to try to make a run for it. Unfortunately with her hands still tightly encased in the chafing bonds, Dani was certain she wouldn't get very far. "Do you know why you're here, Miss Kettler?" The man finally asked, a slight smirk changing his previously unreadable face. Dani let out a derisive sound in an attempt to disguise how frightened she really was. She wanted them to think some part of her still had the upper hand. "If you're looking for money, don't bother. My father wouldn't pay a single credit for my return. Your get rich quick scheme was over before it began." Dani answered, her incredulous tone not getting the reaction she hoped it would. She wanted to see what it would take to get this man's hackles to rise. Surprising the man uttered a chuckle at her response. "No. We don't want money….yet." He began. "What we want is what everybody wants. We want to be treated like we matter. Do you have any idea what your father has done? What he's been doing for decades?" The man inquired although Dani decided to assume the question was meant to be rhetorical. Truthfully, she didn't want to think of the kinds of things her father might be capable of. "Have you ever been to Meniesis Regami?" The man continued although he didn't even give Dani the chance to answer, not that she would have. "I was born there. Lived there all my life. It isn't a pleasant place by any means. The air is so thick with pollution it's almost impossible to breathe. The factories belch their toxic fumes into the air day and night, although it's almost impossible to tell which it is because the sky as almost always brown. There are no farms because the plants all die and animals can't even live there yet they expect people to. All the food has to be shipped in from other planets making it very expensive and nearly impossible for any of us to afford. Your father owns all those factories and makes billions upon billions of credits every year and yet we aren't even paid enough to feed our families. The people are dying from rare diseases, there is no medical care, and the planet is so polluted that soon every living thing on it will probably start to die. All we want is to be treated like our lives have some value."

Her heart sank as she imagined the living conditions on Meniesis Regami. Dani had never been to the planet although she was aware that the factories had taken their toll on the environment. How long had it been that way? How long had her father been allowing this to go on? Dani knew her father was capable of questionable things but even this was far beyond what she could have imagined. The man pulled something small out of his pocket and revealed it to Dani. It was a creased and worn photo of a small boy who bore similar features to the man before her. "This is my son, Adam. He's six years old….at least he would have been as of a week ago. He passed away last year from a form of leukemia so rare there have only ever been seventy five recorded cases in the entire Universe. I have a daughter, too. She's eleven but isn't expected to make it to see age twelve. She has the same disease." As silence descended between them, the man slowly rolled up his sleeves revealing a series of puss filled, red sores that covered the length of his arms. "No one even knows what caused these. I have about six months to live and I intend to see some changes made before I die. Two years ago we started a protest, a strike. A few of the factories shut down for weeks. Family and friends and even strangers came out to support us. We asked your father for the same things we are asking for now. He told us he would send a representative to negotiate terms. Instead he sent ten thousand Company soldiers who opened fire on the protestors and even the innocent bystanders who were just offering support. Men, women and children died during the massacre; including my wife. Now, we either get our demands met or Senator Kettler will be short one daughter. We'll send you back to him in pieces."

Dani shuttered at the man's threat and knew he intended to make good on it. These men were justified in their actions but Dani didn't want to be another pawn in her father's schemes. She knew he would never give into their demands and would leave her to whatever fate these men intended for her. The man turned abruptly on his heels, making his way toward the heavy looking cell door. He turned briefly, his hand on the thick metal entrance that bore only a small barred window at the top. "Your father may be a powerful, wealthy man but we're strong too. We're mad as hell and we're not gonna take it anymore." The kidnapper and rebel leader mentioned as the door slowly started to close. "You know…" Dani called after him, making the rebel pause and peer inside. "It's not my father you should be afraid of." She let a knowing smile pass across her lips as the rebel ignored her jibe and locked her in the cell. Dani only had to bide her time and hope that the rebels who captured her wouldn't get too restless waiting for their demands to be met and start carving her like a well cooked roast. She let her mind focus on Riddick, the dark and ominous hero whom, she had no doubt, would be heading to her rescue probably right at this moment. The men on this vessel were all going to die, atrociously, at his hands.

 **Chapter Ten: Rescue**

The door of the mansion's massive garage opened slowly with a soft hum and the gentle creak of the chains. Sunlight flooded inside, illuminating row after row of expensive looking vehicles. Riddick cocked a brow at the sight of so many shiny, luxurious cars. Without ceremony, Jeremy strolled into the garage, between the rows of cars toward a line of six aerodynamically designed motorcycles that made Riddick purr with delight. He was practically salivating at the sight of the two wheeled yet powerful looking vehicles. Just like the body of a beautiful woman, the bikes were sleek and sexy. Riddick had to grin in appreciation. Jeremy tossed him a set of keys before straddling a dark red bike and securing the helmet on his head. "You ever ride one of these things?" Jeremy asked, a sense of playfulness in his eyes. Although he was worried for Dani, he felt a sudden rush at the impending and, most likely, dangerous rescue. He hadn't felt anything like it since his days in the military. Riddick smirked as he straddled the black bike next to Jeremy's. "I'll ride it like I stole it." He quipped, quickly securing his own helmet and revving the engine. It rumbled beneath him, screaming like a mountain lion and sending a thrilling vibration through his body. Releasing the kickstand, Riddick banked the bike sharply and sent it barreling through the line of cars until he emerged into the warm sunlight with Jeremy hot on his heels.

The ride to the docking bay wasn't long which allowed Riddick to put some of his edginess behind him. The longer it took him to get to Dani, the more that hope for her safe return faded. Riddick put those thoughts out of his mind as unwelcome images of her battered body laying limply on the floor of a darkened room flooded his mind. Riddick growled audibly, nearly matching the sound of the motorcycle beneath him. Leaving the bikes behind, Jeremy led Riddick toward one of the larger hangars that held his own personal vessel. Jeremy had saved for years to purchase the ship that Dani had often joked was her ship. If she ever had cause to go off world, it was always the Isis II that she chose as her transport. Riddick let his eyes travel over the vessel which wasn't nearly as cumbersome as he'd expected. He could tell, by it's sleek exterior and the powerful swiveling jets on either side that this ship was built for speed. Jeremy could easily read Riddick's appreciative and slightly surprised expression. "She's fast as hell and banks on a dime." Jeremy mused, offering a knowing smile of his own. Riddick chuckled as his eyes fell on the name of the vessel, painted across the hull in elaborately beautiful script. "The Isis II?" Riddick queried, unfamiliar with the name. The ramp lowered with a soft hiss as Jeremy strode toward it. "Dani named it. It's one of those Goddesses from her books. From Ancient Egypt on Old Earth, I think." Riddick smiled fondly at the reference, shaking his head softly. That was just like his Dani, the woman he was going to reclaim.

Jeremy performed the hull checks and ensured they would have enough fuel for what was, essentially, a wild goose chase. The Pride of Meniesis were very effective at covering their tracks and Jeremy had no doubt that they had been planning this abduction for months. "Do we have any idea where we're going?" Jeremy inquired, wondering if Riddick might have any insight into the next stage of their hastily constructed plan. Riddick was quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful. "I figured they're off world but they'd wanna be mobile. In case things go wrong. Probably a ship and I'm betting it's still in orbit so they can communicate with someone on the ground." Riddick answered, having thought of little else since he discovered Dani had gone missing. He had always been a careful and calculating individual, every action he took deliberately planned. These rebels, he conceded, were probably like minded individuals. Of course, not to toot his own horn, but Riddick considered himself to be far superior in intelligence. The vessel pitched and rocked slightly as the landing gear slowly ascended into the belly of the ship, disappearing from view. Above them, the roof of the hanger retracted allowing for a vertical take off. Within moments they were rocketing toward the atmosphere at a surprisingly fast rate of speed.

The door to the cell holding Dani opened with a low groan letting the light from outside flood the darkened chamber. Her eyes flew open and she scrambled against the metal wall behind her. Peter entered slowly, a tray of food in his hand. Dani blinked at the sudden brightness that only offered a silhouette of the figure who entered. She was slightly relieved to see Peter despite the man's roll in her abduction. "I brought you some food. Figured you'd be hungry." He said in a soft tone as if he were trying to sound kind. Peter laid the tray before Dani who stared at it, feeling the answering call of her empty stomach. The unusually shy young man seemed to fidget for a moment and Dani wondered if he meant to say something. Disappointingly he slowly turned to leave but Dani called after him halting his movements. "Why did you do this to me? I thought you were my friend, Peter." Her voice was soft and strained, heavy with the uncertain emotions of her betrayal. He turned slowly, shame flickering across his eyes. There was something else there, too. A look of sullen longing emanated from the depths of Peter's brown eyes. "I just wanted to help my people. I've lost loved ones, too. What your father is doing is unacceptable. I'm sorry I got you involved, Dani, but there was no other way. Nothing will happen to you as long as the Senator sees reason for once in his life." Peter offered the apology which would have seemed hollow coming from anyone else. The sincere sorrow in the young man's eyes stung like a needle in Dani's chest. A tightening feeling of desolation gripped Dani's heart. Peter had been her friend, now he was her enemy.

She shifted position to ease the ache that had developed in her back, the motion making Peter slightly wary. "You know, I can't eat if I'm tied up like this." Dani mentioned, hoping to play toward Peter's empathy. He seemed thoughtful for a moment, as if debating what to do. With silent conviction, Peter strode toward Dani and crouched down beside her as he carefully cut through her excessively tight bonds with a small pocketknife. Dani's muscles tensed as she mentally planned her attempt at escape. Before her, the door stood open as it beckoned her into it's welcoming embrace. Feeling her muscles tense, Peter wrapped a hand around her wrist as the bonds fell away. "Don't." He admonished her. "You won't get far anyway." Dani sighed with resolve as she sunk back down onto the cold floor of the cell. Assured that she wasn't going to attempt an escape, Peter rose to his feet and made his way toward the door. "I'm sorry, too." Dani called softly, unsure exactly what she was trying to offer him consolation for. Peter turned back to her, once more only a silhouette in the doorway, and nodded curtly before the door to the cell slammed shut again.

The Isis II coasted lazily toward the massive merchant vessel that had locked itself in orbit around the planet of Orridon Prime. Jeremy instantly recognized the ship as one of the vessels used to move goods onto and off of Meniesis Regami. More than likely the rebel group had stolen the ship from it's previous occupants. The Pride of Meniesis wasn't above piracy by any means. Jeremy told the gruff sounding man who answered the com unit that he was sent from Orridon Prime to negotiate for Dani's release. Not willing to fall for another trap, the rebels had scanned their vessel and were apparently pleased that it only contained two individuals. Unfortunately, one of those individuals was the very dangerous and utterly pissed off Riddick. As the merchant vessel pulled them into docking position, Jeremy turned his gaze toward his muscular companion. "So, how we gonna do this?" Jeremy inquired, wondering what sort of plan the great Richard Riddick might have in mind. Riddick turned his steel eyes toward the man in the pilot seat. "My way." He stated curtly as he idly fingered the handle of his shiv. Jeremy smirked knowing Riddick's way probably involved dismemberment. "Well, in that case…." The head of Dani's Service Detail stated as he handed his secondary pistol to the ex-convict. Riddick quirked a brow at the offer, still unsure if he should take the weapon or not. Seeing no deception in the man's eyes, Riddick grasped the grip of the gun reveling in the slightly unfamiliar weight. As much as Riddick preferred a blade, this would make things much easier.

The Isis II docked with the merchant ship with a dull thud and the sound of creaking metal. "Showtime." Jeremy quipped as he quickly checked the clip of his own weapon. Riddick could feel his blood boil at the impending fight, a feeling that had always made him slightly euphoric. The beast inside him was going to get the chance to come out and play. The airlock door opened with a hiss, reveling the dimly lit corridor that was lined on the opposite wall with pipes and twisted metal tubes. The grated metal floor echoed with their footsteps as Riddick and Jeremy slowly made their way into the merchant vessel. With their pistols at the ready, they carefully scanned each of the narrow corridors for signs of Dani's captors. It seemed a little odd that there had been no one there to meet them when they docked. Perhaps, Jeremy considered, it was some kind of ploy or a clever ruse dictating that the rebels hadn't believed his lie. One of the rebels surprised Jeremy as he rounded a corner but was dropped when the well trained agent placed two bullets in his chest. Riddick peered around the corner, glancing down the opposite end of the corridor to ensure there were no other surprises in store for them.

Ducking down the passageway to the right, Jeremy shot two more rebels that appeared in their way as Riddick simultaneously shot another who had been standing in an adjoining corridor. _Nice._ Riddick mused as he felt the soft pull of the trigger and much less kick back from the weapon in his hands than he'd expected. Jeremy signaled Riddick silently using two fingers to indicate they should inspect the adjoining hallway for additional rebels. At the end of the corridor they were met with another "T" junction that seemed oddly devoid of life. Choosing another right that seemed to lead them deeper into the ship, the pair came upon the galley that opened up to nearly five times the width of the narrow corridor. Picking their way through carefully, Riddick aimed a shot at an armed Rebel that happened to step out from another adjoining corridor. They dashed through, carefully stepping over the man's body who now lay in a pool of blood that formed a crimson halo around his head. Riddick and Jeremy made their way through the huge vessel, opening fire on any man stupid enough to make an appearance. Another figure stepped out into the corridor that the two rescuers were currently occupying and Jeremy raised his gun, aiming directly at the young man whom he suddenly recognized. _What in the fucking hell is_ _ **he**_ _doing here?!_ Jeremy wondered as he quickly closed in on the young man with his pistol prepared to fire. Peter fell backward onto the hard metal floor as Jeremy came barreling down on him. "D-Don't shoot!" Peter stuttered, his eyes darting between Jeremy and Riddick who had both trained their weapons on him. "There better be a good Goddamn reason for you to be here, Peter!" Jeremy snarled, raising his pistol higher to ensure Peter knew he meant business.

The young man turned a baleful gaze toward Riddick who bore the young man even less sympathy than Jeremy. "I…uhhh…Dani…." Peter stammered, unable to form any other words as he tried to scramble away from the two enraged men. "Answer the fucking question!" Riddick barked, his deep voice filling the narrow passageway like rolling thunder. Peter's heart was hammering in his chest and he distantly wondered if it might spontaneously explode outward. "I - I've been with the Rebels since I was fifteen. They set me up with a false I.D. so I could get a job working for the Senator in his Secret Service. I was assigned to Dani's detail just like we'd planned. It was my job to lure her away so they could…." Riddick had heard enough as he raised the pistol higher debating weather or not to shoot the boy in the head or the heart. Peter squirmed beneath their infuriated gazes and the barrels of their guns. "Wait!" Peter shouted, hoping for some form of clemency. "Dani's on the level below us, in a cell above the engine room." Slowly, Jeremy lowered his gun although the action seemed reluctant as if he were still debating on shooting the boy. Wordlessly, Jeremy stepped passed him deciding to show the young man a modicum of mercy. Riddick strode after Jeremy, eager to get to Dani as quickly as possible but he paused and turned back to Peter briefly. "Get outta here before I change my mind." Riddick growled as he watched the terrified imposter scramble to his feet. Riddick turned away from him to pursue the direction Jeremy had just taken. "I never meant Dani to come to harm." Peter called after him but Riddick decided to ignore the young man before he decided to use him for target practice.

Riddick slid down the ladder with his booted feet placed firmly against the sides as well as his hands. He landed with a dull thud but, alarmingly, saw no sign of Jeremy. Gunshots from the end of the corridor he'd found himself in drew Riddick's attention and he dashed toward the sound as fast and nimble as an antelope. Riddick skidded to a halt at the end of the corridor which formed another "T" junction and nearly collided with the sudden dead end. Peering to his right, Riddick saw Jeremy laying sprawled out on the ground with a pool of blood forming beneath his right shoulder. Jeremy's assailant, a deceptively calm looking man with wavy, chocolate brown hair and matching eyes, peered at Riddick with something that he interpreted as relative disinterest. Riddick raised his pistol at the armed man who only held his own weapon at his side. Slowly drawing his arms up as if he accepted death as his only fate, the brown haired man locked his eyes on Riddick's silver gaze. "Revolution." The man whispered a moment before Riddick shot three times bringing the man down instantly. A low groan drew Riddick attention to the man laying at his feet. Jeremy slowly began to sit up, his unarmed hand clasping his injured shoulder. "Fucking hell this smarts!" Jeremy hissed as Riddick hauled him up as easily as he could manage given the man's injury. "You have any idea how long it's been since I've been shot!?" Riddick managed a chuckle, assessing that Jeremy's injury wasn't life threatening. Judging by the hole in his once pristine jacket, the bullet had gone all the way through his shoulder. "All in the line of duty." Riddick mused garnering a dark look from Jeremy who was in too much pain to do much else.

The door to Dani's cell opened with a low groan and the young woman within winced at the sound wondering just what tortures the men had in store for her now. Distantly she wondered if they had come to make good on their promise and were planning on cutting off one of her body parts. A tall, muscular silhouette of a bald headed man filled the doorway, blocking out the dim light of the corridor outside. Riddick strode inside, shoving the pistol into his belt as he quickly knelt at Dani's side. "R-Riddick?" Her voice was soft and full of pained hope as if the man who knelt at her side might have just been an apparition. Relief flooded Riddick's features as he wasted no time in gathering the young woman in his arms. "I got you, Baby. Never gonna let you go again." He whispered into her ear as he clutched desperately to her small frame. Dani's arms wrapped around his firm body as her body shook with sobs of reprieve. "Riddick." Dani whispered into his chest as she gripped his shirt tightly in her small hands. Carefully, he unwrapped Dani's arms from around him and began studying the small appendages carefully. Ten, she still had ten fingers. Riddick scrutinized her hands as if the bore some mystery to the universe somewhere within them. "Riddick, what…?" Dani wondered at his strange action. Holding her hands in his own and leaning his forehead on them, Riddick desperately fought for the words to describe his great relief. "They sent your father a box with two fingers in it. I couldn't catch a scent on them, I didn't know if they were yours." His words came out as a hoarse whisper, almost sounding as if he were about to cry.

Riddick stood slowly, gathering the young woman in his arms. Holding her tightly, Riddick stepped out into the corridor and Dani was forced to blink furiously after spending so much time in utter darkness. _Wish I had eyes like his._ Dani mused thinking of Riddick's shined eyes. Jeremy stepped aside, his hand still clasping the profusely bleeding wound. "Hey, Kiddo." Jeremy said softly as Dani raised her head from Riddick's shoulder. "Jeremy. You're hurt." She stated, more concerned for his condition than her own recent trauma. That was just like Dani; kind, generous and thinking of others before herself. "Just a flesh wound." Jeremy stated casually. He didn't need her worrying about him now. They met no resistance as they returned to the Isis II, all three of them glad the experience was finally over. Dani carefully cleaned and dressed Jeremy's wound despite his protests and complaints of pain. "You're a big sissy, you know that?" Dani chided him as he slipped his arm back into the bloody sleeve of his white shirt. "Sure am, Nurse Ratchett." Jeremy shot back, referencing one of Dani's favorite films from Old Earth. She only rolled her eyes as she made her way toward the bridge where Riddick had taken temporary position at the helm. Quietly she seated her self in the co-pilot's chair beside him. "How's the patient?" Riddick asked, trying for more benign conversation that wouldn't have anything to do with her abduction. Dani shrugged. "Being a big baby." Riddick chuckled, not so much for the humor of her comment but because he was glad she could be so level headed after her traumatizing experience. "Riddick…" Dani's soft voice called him and he turned his mercury gaze toward her. "I have to go back. Take me to Orridon Prime. I need to have a few words with my father." Riddick sighed, he really didn't want to go back there if it could be prevented. He and Jeremy had already discussed a few likely candidates that Riddick and Dani could hide out on for a while until the danger from the Pride of Meniesis and Senator Kettler's wrath had passed. Jeremy would fly back to Orridon Prime on the Isis II and face the Senator alone. This was not the plan Riddick had wanted.

Dani would not be dissuaded and Riddick could see a new form of conviction in her eyes. There was a subtle rage imbedded in their golden depths that he secretly admired. Whatever her reasons for returning to her home and her bastard of a father, it was something Riddick knew she had to see through. They arrived on Orridon Prime to much less fanfare than the three of them had expected. Striding confidentally through the maze-like halls of the mansion, Riddick virtually burst through the Senator's office door after violently subduing the two agents that held their post outside of it. Dani followed him closely but Jeremy lingered for a moment glancing down at the men at his feet who groaned in pain. Shrugging his shoulders, Jeremy followed his companions inside. Senator Kettler grimaced at the sight of the bald headed ex-convict that he hoped to never see again. Dani he regarded with little more than relative disinterest as if her kidnapping and rescue were only annoying problems he hoped would simply go away. The media circus would be a sight to see and he didn't relish the damage control he'd have to perform, especially in light of the reason his daughter was taken in the first place.

Leaning back casually in his chair, Senator Kettler regarded the three people in his office with less significance that if they had been insects. "My daughter is returned safely to me, I see. I hope this experience means you'll be more careful in the future, Danielle." The Senator stated coldly, his casual demeanor making Riddick tense and growl low in his throat. Even Jeremy clenched his fists at his sides, wondering if he'd finally get the chance to throttle the man. The only person unaffected by the Senator's taciturnity was Dani herself. Wordlessly and with far more speed than Riddick knew she possessed, Dani grasped the grip of the gun he'd stuffed into his belt and aimed it directly at her father. "Dani!" Riddick's deep voice called in surprise. "What the fuck are you doing?!" She didn't even look at him, her gaze intent on her father who actually bore a look of shock as he stared down the barrel of the pistol. What frightened Riddick more was the look of fierce determination in her eyes that darkened their golden hue and made her appear just as dangerous as he had ever been. Her hand was alarmingly steady as she held the large gun out before her, aiming it at the man she'd come to hate over the years. "Danielle! Don't be stupid! Put down the gun." The Senator barked, trying to seem more convincing than the slight trembling of his voice conveyed.

Dani took a step forward as if to reassure the Senator that she could and would kill him. "Dani… please. Put the gun down." Riddick pleaded beside her but it fell on deaf ears. "How long have the people of Meniesis Regami been forced to live in polluted filth?!" Dani shouted, her eyes narrowed on the man before her. Father or not, she would give him no quarter until she had some answers. "How long have they been stepped on, treated like shit and left to die from diseases that could easily be cured?!" Dani continued, driven to further anger by her father's silence. The Senator remained perfectly still should his daughter's finger find the trigger as he growled: "That is none of your business! Who's been filling your head with this garbage?!" Slowly, Dani raised her hand, cocking back the slide as she heard the familiar sound of a bullet entering the chamber. "You are responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Who sends Company soldiers to massacre innocent people who wanted nothing more than to be treated with some small amount of respect?" At this the Senator's face was covered in a mask of rage. His daughter's interrogation was about to go several miles too far. "How dare you question me! You know nothing about the inner workings of business or politics. The bottom line…." Senator Kettler's vain argument was cut short as Dani moved the pistol an inch to her right and fired into the book case behind him. The Senator cringed in his leather chair, cowering and holding his hands over his head. Beside her, Jeremy wondered if the old politician might've soiled himself too. That was a very pleasant thought. The door crowded with Secret Service agents who had come eagerly at the sound of gunfire. Nonchalantly, Jeremy raised his own weapon with his uninjured arm, holding the agents at bay. "Nuh uh." He stated coolly keeping his eyes on the armed men who crowded the doorway.

Her rage that she leveled at her father was a sight to see and combined with the effortless way she handled the pistol Riddick had to give her a nod of respect. "Fuck your bottom line and FUCK YOU!" Dani shouted as she hastily cocked the slide back again allowing another bullet to fill the chamber. In his head Riddick counted carefully. There had been three bullets left in the gun and Dani had already used one. "I'm leaving Orridon Prime." Dani announced. "You will not have me followed, tracked, spied on, or any other such nonsense. I want nothing more to do with you or your twisted schemes. You're dead to me and can go fuck off for all I care. If I even THINK I'm being followed you can make damn sure I will end the life of whatever lackey you've sent after me! And, above all else, NOTHING is to happen to Riddick or I promise you I will come back here and put a bullet through that thick skull of yours!" Dani was breathing heavily, her chest heaving as she unleashed what must have been years of pent up rage at her father. As breathtakingly beautiful as she was at this moment, Riddick knew he couldn't risk the chance of her taking a life; even if that life was the sack of shit in the leather chair. "Dani, Baby, please hand me the gun. He's not worth it sweetheart." Riddick purred gently beside her, his hand carefully reaching for the weapon that she continued to aim at her father. "Dani…please." Riddick pleaded, unnerved by her lack of empathy toward her father and resistance to give up the weapon. Slowly, Riddick's large hand closed around the barrel of the gun, glad it had cooled enough to not burn his flesh, as he pulled it from Dani's firm grasp. She allowed the gun to fall away into his hand, suddenly trembling with intense rage. "I wanna get outta here." Dani whispered as Riddick deposited the pistol in his belt at his lower back and gently took her hand.

 **Chapter Eleven: The Road Less Traveled**

After spending a mere two hours packing a few belongings and necessities under the watchful eyes of Jeremy and Riddick, Dani walked through the halls of the mansion she'd called home her entire life and out of the front door for the final time. She felt she should be frightened about leaving behind all she's known but Dani only felt a sense of peace wash over her as she entered the warm sunlight. The three of them stood before the hulking mass of the Isis II as Jeremy handed Dani the large diamond shaped key to the ramp. "What's this for?" She asked, her eyes softening as she beheld the man who'd been her protector since she was eight and more of a father than the man whose DNA she happened to share. "You always did treat her better than me. Now she's yours." Jeremy explained, offering his charge ownership of the vessel she'd loved since first laying eyes on it. "Are you serious?!" She cried, watching Jeremy's face intently. The agent nodded, a smile stretching across his face. "I never told you this, but I added your name as co-owner a year ago. Figured I'd give her up some day." Jeremy added as Dani flung her arms around his neck. Jeremy hissed at her unintentional grazing of his bullet wound but wrapped the uninjured arm around her waist and held her for the last time. Pulling back, Dani gave Jeremy a wicked smile. "You really are a big baby." She quipped, giving him a soft tap on his good arm. Shouldering one heavy duffle bag as she clasped the other one in her hand, Dani turned away reluctantly and began to make her way up the ramp of the ship she could now call her own.

Riddick stood before the man he could call a friend (one of the very few he'd ever had in his lifetime) and held out a hand for Jeremy to shake. Jeremy took the outstretched hand, giving Riddick a firm grip that meant only the deepest respect. The silver eyed convict who had a reputation as a ruthless murderer and psychotic criminal was more worthy of the emotion than the crooked Senator in the mansion behind him. "When you guys get settled in somewhere I'll send you a bottle of scotch. The good stuff." Jeremy mentioned as Riddick's mouth curved into a slight smile. He truly was going to miss the man. Riddick carefully removed the pistol from his belt and held it out to Jeremy, the grip aimed in his direction. "Keep it." Jeremy stated. "Consider it a gift." Riddick nodded and turned toward the ramp, slowly making his ascent into the ship. "Riddick." Jeremy called after him as he turned back to regard the agent. "Take care of my little girl for me." Riddick smirked. "I had no other intentions." He answered before disappearing into the vessel.

Dani and Riddick finally breathed a sigh of relief as they left Orridon Prime behind for good. She looked pensive as she stared out at the stars that whizzed passed them. Dani knew she ought to be frightened of the daunting future that lay ahead of her but the man in the pilot's seat made all of her doubts disappear. She didn't care where they went or where they ended up so long as she could be at his side. "You're not worried about anything." Riddick chimed up beside her, the long period of silence weighing heavily on him. "I mean, you left everything you knew to run off with an ex-convict." Dani smirked at him, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "No. I'm glad to be outta there. I don't wanna be associated with that man ever again." She replied honestly. It felt as though the weight of an entire planet had been lifted from her shoulders and Dani couldn't understand why she hadn't done it sooner. "You know…" Dani began after a brief pause. "I'm now entirely broke. I'm sure my father has already closed my bank account and taken all the credits out of it." Now it was Riddick's turn to smirk as a knowing grin stretched across his face. "Not as broke as you might think." He pulled the fat envelope her father had given him before the rescue mission and tossed it into her lap. Dani opened it slowly and carefully counted the cards inside. "Holy shit! Where'd this come from?" She wondered aloud. Riddick chuckled, seeming much louder in the small confines of the bridge. "Your daddy can be generous at times. Remember that bribe I mentioned…" He offered her a wink and Dani broke out in a beaming smile. "You are amazing." She stated wistfully.

Dani made a brief observation of their charted course, unfamiliar with any of the planets in the near vicinity. "How far are we from Galleon Beta?" Dani inquired, absently wondering if there were any star charts on the vessel that she could recall. Navigating had never really been her forte. Riddick made and inspection of the nav screen, carefully checking all nearby systems. "About four months out, why?" He finally responded as Dani chewed her lip nervously. "Think we could go there? My mother lives there. She's an attorney. I haven't seen her in a long time, my father wouldn't let her since they divorced." She turned a hopeful gaze toward Riddick who softened noticeably. "If that's what you want, sure." He responded, much more quickly than Dani imagined. She smiled softly and thanked him, a decidedly reserved reaction the likes of which he hadn't seen since they first met. "She's the person responsible for your pardon. I had her draw it up with the help of a judge that owed her a few favors." Dani mentioned casually for the first time; her mother's involvement had never been brought up before. Riddick turned to her and cocked a brow. "How'd you get daddy to sign it?" He'd always been curious and Dani had never offered the information before now. "I slipped it into a file full of papers he had to sign. He never reads anything, just scribbles his name on it. I snuck into his office and took it out after he left; from there I just had to send it off and hope it actually reached you." Dani seemed a little sheepish as she explained the ruse she'd played on her father despite how clever the idea had been. Riddick chuckled at Dani's surprising deception. "You are a naughty girl, aren't you?" He asked rhetorically as Dani gave him a grin of pure pride.

The Isis II was a surprisingly spacious ship and sported a rather luxurious interior. They lounged comfortably on the largest bunk Riddick had seen in a good long while, attesting to more of the vessel's lavishness. "You know, your name still isn't safe to use. You should consider changing it." Riddick mentioned absently as he idly stroked Dani's back with his fingertips. There was a short silence as Dani considered what he told her. It was true and she wanted to get as far away from the name Kettler as possible. "Well, my mother's maiden name is MacInerney. I guess I could use that. Danielle MacInerney." She rolled the perspective name over in her head, deciding it would be acceptable. Riddick was quiet for a moment as he distractedly traced circles on her back with his index finger. "Actually, I was thinking Danielle Riddick had a nice ring to it." He mentioned casually, his finger stilling briefly as he awaited her reaction. This could go very well or very badly. Dani lifted her cheek off of his chest and gazed wide eyed at Riddick, unable to believe what had just come out of his mouth. "I don't….why?" Dani stammered, suddenly a little frightened of his intentions. Riddick's mouth widened into a broad smile, his eyes glittering in the dim light of the room. "Well, the way I see it, the name change would be completely legal without a lot of messy paperwork and….well….I'm in love with you. I'm not letting you go, ever. Unless, of course, you don't want to spend the rest of your life with a dangerous ex-convict." For a brief moment, Riddick looked a little hurt as if the idea of Dani's rejection was something he'd considered a possibility. The following few moments were the longest of his entire life as he watched Dani's unreadable face. Suddenly she broke out in a heart stopping grin before virtually pouncing on Riddick and crushing her lips over his. She broke off the kiss, here amber eyes shimmering with what Riddick thought might have been tears. "I think I'd like that." She answered at long last.

Riddick finally let himself breathe. He'd never done anything of this sort before and was probably more nerve wracked than he'd ever been in his entire life. "Christ, woman! You damn near gave me a heart attack!" He joked playfully although he tried his hardest to maintain a serious demeanor. Riddick's hand emerged from his side to clasp her own as his other hand slowly slid a ring onto Dani's finger. She gaped down at the softly sparkling gemstone, blinking in surprise. "Where'd you get this? It's beautiful." She asked, hoping the question didn't sound incredulous. Riddick smiled fondly. "Jeremy. He said he wanted you to have it. It was the ring he gave his wife when he asked her." Dani cocked her head slightly. "Did he know you were gonna do this?" She asked. Riddick smirked. "Maybe." Dani lowered her mouth to his and kissed him softly. Pulling back again she stated: "You are full of surprises, aren't you?" A wicked gleam flitted across Riddick's eyes. "You have no idea." With all the suddenness of a cat, Riddick flipped Dani over until she was trapped beneath his hulking form. Spurred on by the feel of her body straddling him, Riddick gently nibbled at the nape of Dani's neck. "I wonder if there's any wine on this ship." Riddick mused between soft kisses, garnering a giggle from Dani. She was right where she belonged and there was no place else she wanted to be.


End file.
